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Considers the marketing strategies that underpin the success of the "Cirque du Freak" series. Describes how "Cirque du Freak" is an account of events in the life of schoolboy Darren Shan. Notes that it is another reworking of the vampire narrative, a sub-genre of horror writing that has proved highly popular with both adult and child readers. (SG)

According to the current literature, the term "du Bois sign" characterizes the condition of a shortened fifth finger as a symptom of congenital syphilis, Down syndrome, dyscrania, and encephalic malformation. Modern medical dictionaries and text books attribute the eponym to the French gynecologist Paul Dubois (1795-1871). Yet, a literature analysis revealed incorrect references to the person and unclear definitions of the term. Our findings showed that the origin of the term is based on observations made by the Swiss dermatologist Charles du Bois (1874-1947) in connection with congenital syphilis. In addition, a further eponymical fifth finger sign is closely associated with the du Bois sign. In conclusion, the du Bois sign has only limited diagnostic value and is frequently occurring in the normal healthy population. PMID:21263293

rate of dissolved chemical forms of DU. Using a model of wound-site retention being developed by a committee of the U.S. National Council of Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP), it was found that the average retention of DU in the wound site could be described by a two-component exponential function in which 0.5% of the DU was retained with a half time of 80 d and the remainder with a half time of about 300 y.

The Cri du Chat syndrome (CdCS) is a genetic disease resulting from a deletion of variable size occurring on the short arm of chromosome 5 (5p-). The incidence ranges from 1:15,000 to 1:50,000 live-born infants. The main clinical features are a high-pitched monochromatic cry, microcephaly, broad nasal bridge, epicanthal folds, micrognathia, abnormal dermatoglyphics, and severe psychomotor and mental retardation. Malformations, although not very frequent, may be present: cardiac, neurological and renal abnormalities, preauricular tags, syndactyly, hypospadias, and cryptorchidism. Molecular cytogenetic analysis has allowed a cytogenetic and phenotypic map of 5p to be defined, even if results from the studies reported up to now are not completely in agreement. Genotype-phenotype correlation studies showed a clinical and cytogenetic variability. The identification of phenotypic subsets associated with a specific size and type of deletion is of diagnostic and prognostic relevance. Specific growth and psychomotor development charts have been established. Two genes, Semaphorin F (SEMAF) and δ-catenin (CTNND2), which have been mapped to the "critical regions", are potentially involved in cerebral development and their deletion may be associated with mental retardation in CdCS patients. Deletion of the telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene, localised to 5p15.33, could contribute to the phenotypic changes in CdCS. The critical regions were recently refined by using array comparative genomic hybridisation. The cat-like cry critical region was further narrowed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and three candidate genes were characterised in this region. The diagnosis is based on typical clinical manifestations. Karyotype analysis and, in doubtful cases, FISH analysis will confirm the diagnosis. There is no specific therapy for CdCS but early rehabilitative and educational interventions improve the prognosis and considerable progress has been made in

We investigate the recording dynamics of Omnidex photopolymer film from DuPont. We use a reviewed version of the diffusion model proposed by Zhao and Mouroulis [J. Mod. Opt. 41, 1929 (1994)] in order to describe the recording response that combined photopolymerization and free-monomer diffusion process. Two different experiments are detailed that lead to the determination of material kinetic parameters. These values are introduced in the numerical model to provide quantitative simulations of a grating formation under various holographic exposures. Theoretical results are experimentally checked as a validation of the model. We extend its applications to several secondary investigations, such as volume-shrinkage influence on refractive-index distribution and spectral selectivity of reflection gratings. This study improves the understanding of the recording process and consequently allows to build more accurate holographic components in this material to be built.

The water and nutrient uptake of plant roots in soils have a crucial influence on soil physical processes. The interacting processes between plant roots and soil are important for several agricultural problems, for example water management or leaching of pesticides. However, the coupled mechanisms of local soil and root water flow, transport of dissolved substances, root growth, and root uptake are difficult to measure and thus experimental data are rare. Numerical models can be used to understand these complex soil-root systems and help to analyze and interpret experimental measurements. The model approach presented here couples a root system and a soil model. Crucial for this approach is the 1D-3D grid coupling which combines a 1D network grid (root system) with the 3D soil grid. Based on that grid coupling, local processes are defined, for instance the local water uptake of a single root segment. Here, the interface conditions between roots and soil play a major role and we use local grid refinement strategies to better resolve these interface processes. This grid refinement of the 3D soil grid is based on the root network (1D grid) and adapts if root growth occurs. It offers the possibility to describe processes in the soil-plant continuum in a more physical manner avoiding empirical descriptions of root water uptake as a function of bulk matric potential, osmotic potential, root length density, and transpiration rate. Our coupling approach is included into the framework of DuMux, an open-source simulator for flow and transport processes in porous media. This implementation combines biological, chemical and physical processes in soil, inside roots, and at root-soil interfaces, and is contained in a sustainable and consistent framework for the implementation. We will show example simulations describing water flow, solute transport and root growth in a soil-root system.

A short partial sequence of 28 amino acids is all the information we have so far about the putative allergen 2S albumin from almond. The aim of this work was to analyze this information using mainly bioinformatics tools, in order to verify its rightness. Based on the results reported in the paper describing this allergen from almond, we analyzed the original data of amino acids sequencing through available software. The degree of homology of the almond 12kDa protein with any other known 2S albumin appears to be much lower than the one reported in the paper that firstly described it. In a publicly available cDNA library we discovered an expressed sequence tag which translation generates a protein that perfectly matches both of the sequencing outputs described in the same paper. A further analysis indicated that the latter protein seems to belong to the vicilin superfamily rather than to the prolamin one. The fact that also vicilins are seed storage proteins known to be highly allergenic would explain the IgE reactivity originally observed. Based on our observations we suggest that the IgE reactive 12kDa protein from almond currently known as Pru du 2S albumin is in reality the cleaved N-terminal region of a 7S vicilin like protein. PMID:25854802

The DuFour PLC model is one of several reforms today based on the theory that organizing teachers into learning communities will promote professional collaboration and collegial relationships which will improve teacher skills, motivation, and increase student achievement. A small number of studies have explored the impact of PLC's on teaching…

Examines the differences between Gordon Allport's and W. E. B. DuBois's theories on the origins of prejudice and the impact of discrimination on the personality and social development of blacks. The article argues that prejudice is a historically developed process, not a universal feature of human psychology. Implications for U.S. race relations…

This paper presents findings from a study on the use of sign supported Norwegian (SSN) in two individuals with Cri du chat syndrome (CCS). The study gives a first account of some selected aspects of production and intelligibility of SSN in CCS. Possible deviance in manual parameters, in particular inter- and/or intra-subject variation in the use…

The connotations of "du-fu" and "Sanli" in "Sanli acupoint for du-fu diseases" are discussed in this paper, which can provide theoretical foundation for the clinical application of "Sanli acupoint for du-fu diseases". Based on ancient literature combined with related theories in the Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor's Canon of Internal Classic), a deep discussion is performed through the relationship between Zusanli (ST 36) and stomach, indication and mechanism of Zusanli (ST 36) on du-fu diseases and comparison between Zusanli (ST 36) and Shousanli (LI 10). It is believed that "du" should be pronounced as "dŭ", meaning stomach, and it indicates that Zusanli (ST 36) is closely related to stomach and spleen when it is used for du-fu diseases; "fu" means abdomen area, including liver-gallbladder, spleen, stomach-intestine, kidney, uterus, triple energizer; "sanli' means exclusively the acupoint of Zusanli (ST 36). PMID:26521594

Like many manufacturers, DuPont traditionally has grown by making more and more "stuff." And its business growth has been proportional to the amount of raw materials and energy used--as well as the resulting waste and emissions from operations. Over the years, though, DuPont became aware that cheap supplies of nonrenewable resources wouldn't be endlessly available and that the earth's ecosystems couldn't indefinitely absorb the waste and emissions of production and consumption. Chad Holliday, chairman and CEO of DuPont, believes strongly in the challenge of sustainable growth and makes the business case for it: By using creativity and scientific knowledge effectively, he says, companies can provide strong returns for shareholders and grow their businesses--while also meeting the human needs of societies around the world and reducing the environmental footprint of their operations and products. In fact, a focus on sustainability can help identify new products, markets, partnerships, and intellectual property and lead to substantial business growth. Holliday describes how DuPont developed a three-pronged strategy to translate the concept of sustainability into nuts-and-bolts business practices. Focusing on integrated science, knowledge intensity, and productivity improvement, the strategy was accompanied by a new way to measure progress quantitatively. Sustainable growth should be viewed not as a program for stepped-up environmental performance but as a comprehensive way of doing business, one that delivers tremendous economic value and opens up new opportunities. Ultimately, companies will find that they can generate substantial business value through sustainability while both enhancing the quality of life around the world and protecting the environment. PMID:11550629

We report optical spectroscopy (range 370-910 nm) of six supernovae from the Backyard Observatory Supernova Search (BOSS) and the All-Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae (ASAS-SN) using the du Pont 2.5-m telescope (+ WFCCD) at Las Campanas Observatory on June 17 2016 UT. We performed a cross-correlation with a library of supernova spectra using the "Supernova Identification" code (SNID; Blondin and Tonry 2007, Ap.J.

The genome of Duck circovirus (DuCV) is circular and 1996 nts in size. Two major open reading frames were identified, encoding the replicase (V1) and the capsid protein (C1). A stem-loop structure comprising the nonamer 5'-TATTATTAC, conserved in all circo-, nano- and geminiviruses, was found. Unique to DuCV, the region between the 3'-ends of the rep and cap gene contains four repeats of a 44-bp sequence. Phylogenetic analysis shows close relation of DuCV with Goose circovirus and suggests classification of DuCV as a new member of the genus Circovirus of the virus family Circoviridae. PMID:14648300

... reconsideration of an August 12, 2009 Report and Order changing the allotted channel for station WWAZ-TV, Fond du... 5 for channel 44 at Fond du Lac ] because it permitted WLS-TV, an ABC network affiliate in Chicago... network service to numerous viewers that had lost service after the transition of WLS-TV to...

This paper describes the history and experiences of Du Pont Photomasks in their efforts to integrate the continuous improvement philosophy and practices embodied in the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award criteria into their way of doing business. A case study of key learnings in this almost four year long process is presented. Specific topics discussed include the process applied to achieve ISO 9000 certification, the quality systems deployed in this effort, and the use of a balanced set of business and quality metrics to assess and improve upon performance.

The subject of the present thesis fits within the scope of global climate change analysis. It focuses on two main areas of interest, namely the study of recent past climate over the last few decades and the development of tools for modeling future climate. Study of past climate. The first part of this thesis deals with the interpretation of NOAA-AVHRR (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer) time series at the continental spatial scale. The data constitute an archive of decadal or weekly composite spanning over two decades which was developed for studying and monitoring boreal ecosystem activity in Canada. This study uses classical parameters derived from remote sensing in the visible and thermal infrared spectra (NDVI vegetation activity index, land-surface temperature Ts), as well as indicators chosen for their robustness. The latter parameters (length of the growing season, annual growing degree-days, and ecotone displacement) were selected so as to minimize problems related to instrumental drift and inter-satellite adjustment. The study of the twenty year NOAA-AVHRR satellite archives, permitted the observation of recent climate variations. There were compared with daily meteorological surveys of temperature and precipitation as well as with the length of the snow cover period. It was possible to observe rapid cycle climatic phenomena such as the El Nino/La Nina couple whose effect on surface temperature and the length of the growing season was found to be more significant over the central region of Canada. The NAO (North Atlantic Oscillation) and AO (Arctic Oscillation) oscillations were also found to have an influence on the climatic regime of Canada. The effects of these climatic cycles on the annual growing degree-days are more accentuated over the Northeastern region of Canada in spring. Significant climatic trends over the last twenty years were also observed. We demonstrated, based on the use of the

We carry a long term survey of the solar activity with our coronagraphic system at Pic du Midi de Bigorre in the French Pyrenees (CLIMSO). It is a set of two solar telescopes and two coronagraphs, taking one frame per minute for each of the four channels : Solar disk in H-α (656.28 nm), prominences in H-α, disk in Ca II (393.3 nm), prominences in He I (1083 nm), all year long, weather permitting. Since 2015 we also take images of the FeXIII corona (1074.7 nm) at the rate of one every 10 minutes. These images cover a large field: 1.25 solar diameter, 2k*2K pixels, and are freely downloadable form a database. The improvements made since 2015 concern an autoguiding system for better centering of the solar disk behind the coronagraphic masks, and a new Fe XIII channel at λ=1074.7 nm. In the near future we plan to provide radial velocity maps of the disc and polarimetry maps of the disk and corona. This survey took its present form in 2007 and we plan to maintain image acquisition in the same or better experimental conditions for a long period: one or several solar cycles if possible. During the partial solar eclipse of March 20, 2015, the CLIMSO instruments and the staff at Pic du Midi operating it have provided several millions internet users with real time images of the Sun and Moon during all the phenomenon.

Huang-Lian-Jie-Du Decoction (HLJDD) is a classical Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formula with heat-dissipating and detoxifying effects. It is used to treat inflammation-associated diseases. However, no systematic pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) data concerning the activity of HLJDD under inflammatory conditions is available to date. In the present study, the concentration-time profiles and the hepatic clearance rates (HCR) of 41 major components in rat plasma in response to the oral administration of a clinical dose of HLJDD were investigated by LC-QqQ-MS using a dynamic multiple reaction monitoring (DMRM) method. Additionally, the levels of 7 cytokines (CKs) in the plasma and the body temperature of rats were analyzed. Furthermore, a PK-PD model was established to describe the time course of the hemodynamic and anti-inflammatory effects of HLJDD. As one of the three major active constituents in HLJDD, iridoids were absorbed and eliminated more easily and quickly than alkaloids and flavonoids. Compared with the normal controls, the flavonoids, alkaloids and iridoids in inflamed rats exhibited consistently changing trends of PK behaviors, such as higher bioavailability, slower elimination, delays in reaching the maximum concentration (Tmax) and longer substantivity. The HCR of iridoids was different from that of alkaloids and flavonoids in inflamed rats. Furthermore, excellent pharmacodynamic effects of HLJDD were observed in inflamed rats. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1β, IL-10, and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) and body temperature significantly decreased after the administration of HLJDD. Based on PK-PD modeling with the three-phase synchronous characterization of time-concentration-effect, flavonoids exhibited one mechanism of action in the anti-inflammatory process, while iridoids and alkaloids showed another mechanism of action. Taken together, the results demonstrated that HLJDD may

An updated summary of a future large astrometric catalogue is presented, based on the two most important astrometric projects carried out by the Real Instituto y Observatorio de la Armada de San Fernando (ROA). The goal is to make a catalogue of positions and proper motions based on ROA's Cart du Ciel (CdC) and the Astrographic Catalogue (AC) San Fernando zone plates, and the HAMC2 meridian circle catalogue. The CdC and AC plates are being reduced together to provide first-epoch positions while HAMC2 will provide second-epoch ones. New techniques have been applied, that range from using a commercial flatbed scanner to the proper reduction schemes to avoid systematics from it. Only thirty plates (out of 540) remain to be processed, due to scanning problems that are being solved.

The oxidation states of uranium contained in depleted uranium (DU) particles were determined by synchrotron radiation based micro-XANES, applied to individual particles in soil samples collected at Ceja Mountain, Kosovo. Based on scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with XRMA prior to micro-XANES, DU particles ranging from submicrons to about 30 microm (average size: 2 microm or less) were identified. Compared to well-defined standards, all investigated DU particles were oxidized. About 50% of the DU particles were characterized as UO2, the remaining DU particles present were U3O8 or a mixture of oxidized forms (ca. 2/3 UO2, 1/3 U3O8). Since the particle weathering rate is expected to be higher for U3O8 than for UO2, the presence of respiratory U3O8 and UO2 particles, their corresponding weathering rates and subsequent remobilisation of U from DU particles should be included in the environmental or health impact assessments. PMID:12500803

Docetaxel is a useful chemotherapeutic agent for the first-line treatment of hormone-refractory prostate cancer. Abnormal expression of Bcl-2 is commonly found in cancer cells, which increases their anti-apoptotic potency and chemo-resistance. We investigated the effects of Bcl-2 expression status on the susceptibility of DU145 cells, an androgen-independent human prostate cancer cell line, to docetaxel and other anticancer agents. A panel of Bcl-2-expressing DU145 cell lines was established. Bcl-2 expression levels were unrelated to the susceptibility of DU145 cells to docetaxel. The sensitivity of DU145 cells to cisplatin fluctuated, and the sensitivity to tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α was decreased by Bcl-2 overexpression. In a xenograft mouse model, overexpression of Bcl-2 drastically decreased the sensitivity of DU145 cells to cisplatin and TNF-α; however, there was no change in the response to docetaxel. Fluorescent microscopy revealed that Bcl-2-overexpression had no effect on the docetaxel-induced death of DU145 cells, but significantly decreased DU145 cell death induced by cisplatin or TNF-α. Interestingly, docetaxel hardly induced caspase-3/7 activation in control or Bcl-2-overexpressing DU145 cells, but did at a low level in LNCaP cells, another prostate cancer cell line. Moreover, in contrast to LNCaP cells, the reduced viabilities of docetaxel-treated control and Bcl-2-overexpressing DU145 cells were not restored by the addition of either a Bid inhibitor or a panel of pro-apoptotic caspase inhibitors. These findings indicate that the antitumor effects of docetaxel on DU145 cells are independent of both Bcl-2 and pro-apoptotic caspases. PMID:27082738

Docetaxel is a useful chemotherapeutic agent for the first-line treatment of hormone-refractory prostate cancer. Abnormal expression of Bcl-2 is commonly found in cancer cells, which increases their anti-apoptotic potency and chemoresistance. We investigated the effects of Bcl-2 expression status on the susceptibility of DU145 cells, an androgen-independent human prostate cancer cell line, to docetaxel and other anticancer agents. A panel of Bcl-2-expressing DU145 cell lines was established. Bcl-2 expression levels were unrelated to the susceptibility of DU145 cells to docetaxel. The sensitivity of DU145 cells to cisplatin fluctuated, and the sensitivity to tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α was decreased by Bcl-2 overexpression. In a xenograft mouse model, overexpression of Bcl-2 drastically decreased the sensitivity of DU145 cells to cisplatin and TNF-α; however, there was no change in the response to docetaxel. Fluorescent microscopy revealed that Bcl-2-overexpression had no effect on the docetaxel-induced death of DU145 cells, but significantly decreased DU145 cell death induced by cisplatin or TNF-α. Interestingly, docetaxel hardly induced caspase-3/7 activation in control or Bcl-2-overexpressing DU145 cells, but did at a low level in LNCaP cells, another prostate cancer cell line. Moreover, in contrast to LNCaP cells, the reduced viabilities of docetaxel-treated control and Bcl-2-overexpressing DU145 cells were not restored by the addition of either a Bid inhibitor or a panel of pro-apoptotic caspase inhibitors. These findings indicate that the antitumor effects of docetaxel on DU145 cells are independent of both Bcl-2 and pro-apoptotic caspases. PMID:27082738

We analyze new multicolor light curves for four close late-type binaries: HS Aqr, EG Cep, VW LMi, and DU Boo, in order to determine the orbital and physical parameters of the systems and estimate the distances. The analysis is done using the modeling code of G. Djurasevic, and is based on up-to-date measurements of spectroscopic elements. All four systems have complex, asymmetric light curves that we model by including bright or dark spots on one or both components. Our findings indicate that HS Aqr and EG Cep are in semi-detached, while VW LMi and DU Boo are in overcontact configurations.

Low-grade heat from geothermal wells can now be harnessed to produce electricity by using Du Pont ''Freon'' IF as the power conversion fluid. The new system was developed by Turbonetics Energy Inc. The company's Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system takes advantage of the low boiling point (117F) of Du Pont ''Freon'' TF. Geothermal energy is harnessed by utilizing the heat from 200F to 400F water to vaporize the ''Freon'' power fluid. Then the fluid expands through a turbine and drives a generator. The system can produce from 600 kW of electric power.

The report profiles the College of DuPage's (COD) fall quarter 1999 student body. It presents a brief history of the college's enrollment and a comparison of enrollments with other Illinois community colleges. It also provides demographic information on current students. Additionally, enrollment information is included by program, division, and…

While W. E. B. Du Bois is widely recognized for his contributions to the sociology of race, his contributions to the foundations of sociology are largely ignored. His sociology is based on African American reformism, a version of pragmatism, and a contingent historicism. The basic view of sociology is one that emphasizes the role of chance and…

OMP is under the administrative supervision of both the Institute des Sciences de l'Univers (INSU) of the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) and the Ministry of Research, Technology and Education. It has laboratories located at the Université Paul Sabatier in Toulouse, Bagnères, Lannemezan and at the summit of Pic du Midi de Bigorre....

Numerous sites in the United States and around the world are contaminated with depleted uranium (DU) in various forms. A prevalent form is fragmented DU originating from various scientific tests involving high explosives and DU during weapon-development programs, at firing practice ranges, or in war theaters where DU was used in armor-piercing projectiles. The contamination at these sites is typically very heterogeneous, with discrete, visually identifiable DU fragments mixed with native soil. The bulk-averaged DU activity is quite low, whereas DU fragments, which are distinct from the soil matrix, have much higher specific activity. DU is best known as a dark metal that is nearly twice as dense as lead, but DU in the environment readily weathers (oxidizes) to a distinctive bright yellow color that is quite visible. While the specific activity (amount of radioactivity per mass of soil) of DU is relatively low and presents only a minor radiological hazard, the fact that DU is radioactive and visually identifiable makes it desirable to remove the DU ''contamination'' from the environment. The typical approach to conducting this DU remediation is to use radiation-detection instruments to identify the contaminant and then to separate it from the adjacent soil, packaging it for disposal as radioactive waste. This process can be performed manually or by specialized, automated equipment. Alternatively, a more cost-effective approach might be simple mechanical or gravimetric separation of the DU fragments from the host soil matrix. At SNL/NM, both the automated and simple mechanical approaches have recently been employed. This paper discusses the pros/cons of the two approaches.

The {open_quotes}Golfe du Lion{close_quotes} Pleistocene shelf deposits are used as modern analogues of ancient deltaic and shallow water siliciclastic deposits. At least 6 cyclic superimposed sedimentary packages constituting a seaward thickening wedge are documented, including major progradational clinoforms units bounded by regional unconformities, with their updip terminations. Seismic correlations and geometry models, together with age dating and facies analysis of the uppermost units have been used at regional scale. They allowed to differentiate allocyclic from autocyclic events, to improve our knowledge of the nature of tectonic control on architecture, and to rely the different seismic units, inside the packages, to the environmental changes from interglacial highstand to glacial lowstand in 4 to 5th order cycles. An alternative model of {open_quotes}forced regression{close_quotes} during sea level lowstand was documented and validated. The different illustrated sedimentary units, related to specific parts of the relative sea level curve along a short duration/high amplitude cycle, are: (i) the {open_quotes}forced regression{close_quotes} deposits (ii) the late lowstand massive sands onto the outer shelf (iii) the early transgressive backstepping (?) beach sands, (iii) the late transgressive backslapping parasequences. The sand content inferred from the seismic facies, comforted with the uppermost units facies from data cores, is in agreement with this model.

ReDuNing injection (RDN) is a patented traditional Chinese medicine, and the components of it were proven to have antiviral and important anti-inflammatory activities. Several reports showed that RDN had potential effects in the treatment of influenza and pneumonia. Though there were several experimental reports about RDN, the experimental results were not enough and complete due to that it was difficult to predict and verify the effect of RDN for a large number of human diseases. Here we employed multiscale model by integrating molecular docking, network pharmacology and the clinical symptoms information of diseases and explored the interaction mechanism of RDN on human diseases. Meanwhile, we analyzed the relation among the drug molecules, target proteins, biological pathways, human diseases and the clinical symptoms about it. Then we predicted potential active ingredients of RDN, the potential target proteins, the key pathways and related diseases. These attempts may offer several new insights to understand the pharmacological properties of RDN and provide benefit for its new clinical applications and research.

Marshall reviews four types of social models of aging: allocation, construction of life course, personality and socialization, and negotiation, concluding that the life course perspective dominates. Haldemann comments (in French) that broader research is needed to question this dominance; Marshall responds that his goal was to describe, not to…

Neoplastic cells acquire multidrug resistance as they assemble into multicellular spheroids. Image analysis and Monte Carlo simulation provided an insight into the adhesion and motility events during spheroid restructuring in liquid-overlay culture of DU 145 and LNCaP human prostate cancer cells. Irregularly shaped, two-dimensional aggregates restructured through incremental cell movements into three-dimensional spheroids. Of the two cultures examined, restructuring was more pronounced for DU 145 aggregates. Motile DU 145 cells formed spheroids with a minimum cell overlay of 30% for 25-mers as estimated by simulation versus 5% for adhesive LNCaP cells in aggregates of the same size. Over 72 h, the texture ratio increased from 0.55 +/- 0.05 for DU 145 aggregates with projected areas exceeding 2000 microm2 to a value approaching 0.75 +/- 0.02 (P < 0.05). For LNCaP aggregates of comparable size, the increase in texture ratio was more modest, less than 15% during the same time period (P < 0.05). Combined, these data suggest that motility events govern the overall rate of spheroid restructuring. This information has application to the chemosensitization of solid tumors and kinetic modeling of spheroid production. PMID:15723561

The survival of skin flaps has great interest in many areas of Medicine. In practice, one of the most important complications in the use of skin flaps is the tissue ischemia, which frequently results in widespread necrosis and failure of the proposed treatments. The objective of this study was to evaluate the possible benefits of eletroacupuncture stimulation of the points DU-14 (Dazhui), DU-2 (Yaoshu), and Liv-13 (Zhangmen) over the skin flap survival of Wistar rats after 8 days of treatment. Forty male Wistar rats were allocated into four groups with 10 animals each. They were submitted to a surgical procedure in which a dorsal skin flap measuring 10 x 4 cm was elevated and then sutured back with a plastic barrier between the flap and the donor site. During the following 8 days, one group received electro stimulation in two "nonaccupoints" whereas the other one had the accupoints DU-14 (Dazhui), DU-2 (Yaoshu), and Liv-13 (Zhangmen) stimulated. After this period, the rats were killed and flaps were appraised qualitative and quantitatively. Data were evaluated with analysis of variance and to establish significance Fisher's PLSD test was used when analysis of variance showed P < .05. It was observed that electroacupuncture group presented a skin flap survival index remarkably larger than the others. It has also shown a better evolution during the 8 days PO, confirmed by the lowest rate of necrosis and absent area. In this experimental model, eletroacupuncture was an efficient method to preserve vitality and decrease dorsal skin flap necrosis on Wistar rats. PMID:18354293

Physicist Lee A. DuBridge became president of the California Institute of Technology in 1946. In this interview he recalls the immediate problems he faced, including his dealings with Robert A. Millikan, whom he replaced as chief administrator of the institute; institute financing and inadequate salaries. DuBridge also talks about the advent of federal support for peacetime science and Millikan's distaste for it; his close working relationship with Robert F. Bacher, who came to the institute in 1949 as chairman of the Division of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy; his recollections of the meteorologist Irving P. Krick, the physicist Alexander Goetz, and the chemist Linus Pauling; and his attempts to build up the Humanities Division.

In the current study, the authors examined whether the fatigue level of children diagnosed with cri du chat syndrome was associated with the expression of autistic symptoms. Sixty-nine children with cri du chat syndrome were compared with 47 children with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities who did not differ on intellectual severity.…

The advantage of using depleted uranium (DU) hohlraums in high-yield deuterium-tritium (DT) shots at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) is addressed by Döppner, et al., in great detail [1]. This DU based hohlraum incorporates a thin layer of DU, ~7 μm thick, on the inner surface along with a thin layer of a gold coating, ~0.7 μm thick, while the outer layer is ~22 μm thick gold. A thickness measurement of the DU layer can be performed using an optical microscope where the total DU weight can be computed provided a uniform DU layer. However, the uniformity of the thickness is not constant throughout the hohlraum since CAD drawing calculations of the DU weight do not agree with the computed values from optical measurements [2]. Therefore, a non-destructive method for quantifying the DU content in hohlraums has been established by utilizing gamma-ray spectroscopy. The details of this method, along with results from several hohlraums, are presented in this report.

Autism spectrum disorder characteristics have not been evaluated in Cornelia de Lange and Cri du Chat syndromes using robust assessments. The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule and Social Communication Questionnaire were administered to 34 participants with Cornelia de Lange syndrome and a comparison group of 23 participants with Cri du Chat…

The relations of several stream processes to concentrations of dissolved oxygen and other constituents during low-flow periods were evaluated for a 70.3-mile reach of the Du Page River in northeastern Illinois, using measured data and computer simulations. Reaeration rates and traveltimes were measured at various flow rates using a steady-state gas-tracer technique. Stream discharge, stage, temperature, and chemical constituent concentrations were measured during two 24-hour periods in July and August 1983. These data were used to describe water quality and to calibrate and verify the QUAL-II one dimensional, steady-state, water quality model. Dissolved oxygen concentrations did not meet the State water quality standards in several subreaches of the Du Page River. Concentrations were consistently below the State minimum dissolved oxygen standard in the downstream 8 miles of the East Branch Du Page River. Model simulations indicate that although ammonia oxidation played a role in the dissolved oxygen depletion, the primary factor was sediment oxygen demand. Other measured chemical constituents that did not comply with the State water quality standards in several subreaches of the river included ammonia, iron, fluoride, and total dissolved solids. (USGS)

Huanglian-Jie-Du-Tang (HLJDT) is a famous traditional Chinese herbal formula that has been widely used clinically to treat cerebral ischemia. Recently, we found that berberine, a major alkaloid compound in HLJDT, reduced amyloid-β (Aβ) accumulation in an Alzheimer's disease (AD) mouse model. In this study, we compared the effects of HLJDT, four single component herbs of HLJDT (Rhizoma coptidis (RC), Radix scutellariae (RS), Cortex phellodendri (CP) and Fructus gardenia (FG)) and the modified formula of HLJDT (HLJDT-M, which is free of RS) on the regulatory processing of amyloid-β precursor protein (APP) in an in vitro model of AD. Here we show that treatment with HLJDT-M and its components RC, CP, and the main compound berberine on N2a mouse neuroblastoma cells stably expressing human APP with the Swedish mutation (N2a-SwedAPP) significantly decreased the levels of full-length APP, phosphorylated APP at threonine 668, C-terminal fragments of APP, soluble APP (sAPP)-α and sAPPβ-Swedish and reduced the generation of Aβ peptide in the cell lysates of N2a-SwedAPP. HLJDT-M showed more significant APP- and Aβ- reducing effects than berberine, RC or CP treatment alone. In contrast, HLJDT, its component RS and the main active compound of RS, baicalein, strongly increased the levels of all the metabolic products of APP in the cell lysates. The extract from FG, however, did not influence APP modulation. Interestingly, regular treatment of TgCRND8 APP transgenic mice with baicalein exacerbated the amyloid plaque burden, APP metabolism and Aβ production. Taken together, these data provide convincing evidence that HLJDT and baicalein treatment can increase the amyloidogenic metabolism of APP which is at least partly responsible for the baicalein-mediated Aβ plaque increase in the brains of TgCRND8 mice. On the other hand, HLJDT-M significantly decreased all the APP metabolic products including Aβ. Further study of HLJDT-M for therapeutic use in treating AD is

Huanglian-Jie-Du-Tang (HLJDT) is a famous traditional Chinese herbal formula that has been widely used clinically to treat cerebral ischemia. Recently, we found that berberine, a major alkaloid compound in HLJDT, reduced amyloid-β (Aβ) accumulation in an Alzheimer’s disease (AD) mouse model. In this study, we compared the effects of HLJDT, four single component herbs of HLJDT (Rhizoma coptidis (RC), Radix scutellariae (RS), Cortex phellodendri (CP) and Fructus gardenia (FG)) and the modified formula of HLJDT (HLJDT-M, which is free of RS) on the regulatory processing of amyloid-β precursor protein (APP) in an in vitro model of AD. Here we show that treatment with HLJDT-M and its components RC, CP, and the main compound berberine on N2a mouse neuroblastoma cells stably expressing human APP with the Swedish mutation (N2a-SwedAPP) significantly decreased the levels of full-length APP, phosphorylated APP at threonine 668, C-terminal fragments of APP, soluble APP (sAPP)-α and sAPPβ-Swedish and reduced the generation of Aβ peptide in the cell lysates of N2a-SwedAPP. HLJDT-M showed more significant APP- and Aβ- reducing effects than berberine, RC or CP treatment alone. In contrast, HLJDT, its component RS and the main active compound of RS, baicalein, strongly increased the levels of all the metabolic products of APP in the cell lysates. The extract from FG, however, did not influence APP modulation. Interestingly, regular treatment of TgCRND8 APP transgenic mice with baicalein exacerbated the amyloid plaque burden, APP metabolism and Aβ production. Taken together, these data provide convincing evidence that HLJDT and baicalein treatment can increase the amyloidogenic metabolism of APP which is at least partly responsible for the baicalein-mediated Aβ plaque increase in the brains of TgCRND8 mice. On the other hand, HLJDT-M significantly decreased all the APP metabolic products including Aβ. Further study of HLJDT-M for therapeutic use in treating AD is

Since 2007, Pic du Midi 2-m Telescope Bernard Lyot is dedicated to spectropolarimetry with a scientific niche in stella magnetism. In parallel, TBL is progressively evolving from an analogic human-controlled telescope, to a fully automated computer controlled digital telescope. This evolution required TBL team to replace all electronics and motors with digital system (parvex, brushless motors, buscan) components, and to integrate the dataflow system from proposal to archiving into a fully coordinates, remote-access software suite. A trained technician can already control remotely the telescope, instrument and science programs from anywhere. Further robotisation will require a high-level expert system to be defined.

Next-Generation Radar (NEXRAD) has become an integral component in the estimation of precipitation (Kitzmiller and others, 2013). The high spatial and temporal resolution of NEXRAD has revolutionized the ability to estimate precipitation across vast regions, which is especially beneficial in areas without a dense rain-gage network. With the improved precipitation estimates, hydrologic models can produce reliable streamflow forecasts for areas across the United States. NEXRAD data from the National Weather Service (NWS) has been an invaluable tool used by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for numerous projects and studies; NEXRAD data processing techniques similar to those discussed in this Fact Sheet have been developed within the USGS, including the NWS Quantitative Precipitation Estimates archive developed by Blodgett (2013).

DuPont and Health Facilities Management magazine invited 20 national experts to Dalton, GA--the carpet-manufacturing capital of the world--last year to take part in DuPont's first-ever Forum on Carpet in Health Care Facilities. During the two-hour roundtable discussion, moderated by DuPont's C. Jack Murph and HFM's Michael Hemmes, end-users, interior designers and carpet mill representative talked about the aesthetic, economic and performance aspects of using carpet in health care settings. Here's an edited version of what they said. PMID:10184014

DuPont and Health Facilities Management magazine invited 20 national experts to Dalton, GA--the carpet-manufacturing capital of the world--on May 13 to take part in DuPont's first-ever Forum on Carpet in Health Care Facilities. During the two-hour roundtable discussion, moderated by DuPont's C. Jack Murph and HFM's Michael Hemmes, end-users, interior designers and mill representatives talked about the aesthetic, economic and performance aspects of using carpet in health care settings. Here's an edited version of what they said. PMID:10183973

maps of the site, including the inside domain of the buildings. Already available aerial photographs are processed to obtain a 3D model of the site and the wider region. In March 2013, the first campaign took place. During this first campaign, a topographical network was set out and a series of detail points were measured for the detailed topographic mapping. The topographical network was well-planned and covers almost the whole site, forming a set of permanently materialized reference points for later measurements. Besides, a large number of ground control points (GCPs) were taken for the 3D reconstruction of the area, based on high resolution airborne imagery. This enables the students to familiarize themselves with photogrammetric principles in a practical exercise. Both the topographic maps and the 3D model fit within the large scale geographic reference map of the Walloon Region. In this contribution, the results of this intensive trans-regional collaboration on the preservation of the sites are presented. This paper will discuss the first deliverables from the project and the advantages for the responsible government, the cultural heritage organisations (Ecomusée du Bois-du-Luc) and the students. The main focus here is on the educational context of the project. Furthermore, future projects on the same site will be discussed.

measurements were then corrected to bring them in the same altimetry reference level as Topex/Poseidon, thereby producing time series of 17 years (1992-2009). Following this analysis, we proposed a waveform retracking algorithm that integrates the backscattering coefficient to the time scale of penetration of the radar pulse in a medium with a presence of vegetation. The idea here is to consider the heterogeneity of a medium such as the Delta, which can be covered with vegetation. For this, we introduce into the equation of the waveform, the backscattering coefficient estimated from the so called water cloud model, to create a new algorithm called retracking algorithm of water cloud. This algorithm was applied to the Envisat and OSTM/Jason-2 data. The results of the algorithm were validated with in situ measurements of the Direction Nationale de l'Hydraulique du Mali and also with measurements acquired during a campaign of data collection conducted between August and October 2009. The observed differences are generally small ( 0,40) with the cumulative precipitations in the basins considered. Keywords : Remote Sensing, Satellite altimetry, Continental waters, Water level, Long term analysis, Inner Delta of Niger River, Water-cloud model, Envisat, Topex/Poseidon.

A probabilistic approach was applied in an ecological risk assessment (ERA) to characterize risk and address uncertainty employing Monte Carlo simulations for assessing parameter and risk probabilistic distributions. This simulation tool (ERA) includes a Window's based interface, an interactive and modifiable database management system (DBMS) that addresses a food web at trophic levels, and a comprehensive evaluation of exposure pathways. To illustrate this model, ecological risks from depleted uranium (DU) exposure at the US Army Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) and Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) were assessed and characterized. Probabilistic distributions showed that at YPG, a reduction in plant root weight is considered likely to occur (98% likelihood) from exposure to DU; for most terrestrial animals, likelihood for adverse reproduction effects ranges from 0.1% to 44%. However, for the lesser long-nosed bat, the effects are expected to occur (>99% likelihood) through the reduction in size and weight of offspring. Based on available DU data for the firing range at APG, DU uptake will not likely affect survival of aquatic plants and animals (<0.1% likelihood). Based on field and laboratory studies conducted at APG and YPG on pocket mice, kangaroo rat, white-throated woodrat, deer, and milfoil, body burden concentrations observed fall into the distributions simulated at both sites. PMID:15910910

The Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer in southeastern Minnesota is comprised of the dolomitic Prairie du Chien Group and the underlying Jordan Sandstone. Differences in water quality between the Prairie du Chien and the Jordan parts of the aquifer were investigated by sampling 139 wells in six study areas within Hennepin, Dakota, and Olmsted Counties. The study areas, which represent paths of groundwater flow through the aquifer, averaged 13 miles long and 3 miles wide. The wells were screened in the Jordan, Prairie du Chien, and overlying aquifers. Concentrations of tritium, nitrite plus nitrate nitrogen, and chloride were useful indicators of the actual and potential extent of human-related contamination of the aquifer. Differences in water quality were related to land use, aquifer permeability, thickness and lithology of overlying units, presence of confining units, flow path length, and well construction. Water samples from wells completed in the Jordan aquifer have lower tritium, nitrite plus nitrate nitrogen, and chloride concentrations than samples from wells completed in the overlying Prairie du Chien, St. Peter, and glacial drift aquifers. The distribution of these indicators on vertical sections of the aquifer, geochemical analysis of saturation indices (WATEQF), piper diagrams, and statistical analyses were used to analyze the hydrogeology and sensitivity to contamination of the Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer.

Cri-du-chat is a chromosomal deletion syndrome characterized by partial deletion of the short arm of chromosome 5. The clinical symptoms include growth and mental retardation, microcephaly, hypertelorism, epicanthal folds, hyptonia, and a high-pitched monochromatic cry that is usually considered diagnostic for the syndrome. Recently, a correlation between clinical features and the extent of the chromosome 5 deletions has identified two regions of the short arm that appear to be critical for the abnormal development manifested in this syndrome. Loss of a small region in 5p15.2 correlates with all of the clinical features of cri-du-chat with the exception of the cat-like cry, which maps to 5p15.3. Here the authors report the construction of a YAC contig that spans the chromosomal region in 5p15.2 that plays a major role in the etiology of the cri-du-chat syndrome. YACs that span the 2-Mb cri-du-chat critical region have been identified and characterized. This YAC contig lays the groundwork for the construction of a transcriptional map of this region and the eventual identification of genes involved in the clinical features associated with the cri-du-chat syndrome. It also provides a new diagnostic tool for cri-du-chat in the shape of a YAC clone that may span the entire critical region. 24 refs., 4 figs., 2 tabs.

In the present study, we investigated berberine‑induced apoptosis and the signaling pathways underlying its activity in FaDu head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells. Berberine did not affect the viability of primary human normal oral keratinocytes. In contrast, the cytotoxicity of berberine was significantly increased in FaDu cells stimulated with berberine for 24 h. Furthermore, berberine increased nuclear condensation and apoptosis rates in FaDu cells than those in untreated control cells. Berberine also induced the upregulation of apoptotic ligands, such as FasL and TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand, and triggered the activation of caspase-8, -7 and -3, and poly(ADP ribose) polymerase, characteristic of death receptor-dependent extrinsic apoptosis. Moreover, berberine activated the mitochondria‑dependent apoptotic signaling pathway by upregulating pro-apoptotic factors, such as Bax, Bad, Apaf-1, and the active form of caspase-9, and downregulating anti-apoptotic factors, such as Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL. In addition, berberine increased the expression of the tumor suppressor p53 in FaDu cells. The pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-fmk suppressed the activation of caspase-3 and prevented cytotoxicity in FaDu cells treated with berberine. Interestingly, berberine suppressed cell migration through downregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, and MMP-9. Moreover, the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) and p38, components of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway that are associated with the expression of MMP and VEGF, was suppressed in FaDu cells treated with berberine for 24 h. Therefore, these data suggested that berberine exerted anticancer effects in FaDu cells through induction of apoptosis and suppression of migration. Berberine may have potential applications as a chemotherapeutic agent for the management of head and neck squamous carcinoma. PMID:26503508

Pointe du Hoc WWII battlefield overlooking the English Channel in western Normandy, France, is an important cultural resource, being an integral component of the June 6 1944 D-Day invasion. Two major buildings, the forward observation post (OP) and Col. Rudder's command post (RCP), are now perched perilously close to the cliff's edge owing to six decades of cliff retreat. Geophysical surveys were carried out in March 2008 to investigate the risk of cliff failure and to inform possible geotechnical remediation strategies with a final goal toward re-opening the observation post that is now closed to visitors. The geophysical surveying is accomplished by high-resolution resistivity tomography, conducted in extreme topography and in the midst of dense cultural clutter. The results of the OP tomography indicate that the highest mass movement hazard is associated with the marine caverns at the base of the cliff at the point of strongest wave attack. These caverns occupy the future site of a sea arch which will threaten the OP building. There is a high probability of a soil wedge failure on the east facing cliff edge close to the OP building. Such a failure could damage or destroy the building. The possibility of a sudden catastrophic failure along any one of these fractures cannot be ruled out. The greatest risk at the RCP site, which is under less immediate threat, is associated with soil wedge failures at the top of the cliffs.

The paper presents new photoelectric observations of the eclipsing binary systems DU Boo and AG Vir. The systems are somewhat similar - both are A-type contact binaries with the maximum following the primary minimum being the brighter one. This light curve asymmetry is extremely temporally stable. The phase dependence of the color indices is unexpectedly small for the observed amplitude of the O'Connell effect, amounting to about 0.1 mag in the optical wavelength range which indicates a very large heated area with a temperature contrast of {Δ T ≈} 1000-1500 K. The broadening functions (BFs) of the systems do not show any dark solar-type photospheric spots. On the other hand, there are significant differences of BFs between the quadratures (surprisingly similar in both systems) indicative of stream of matter or bright region causing additional emission seen between the components around the phase 0.25. Absolute parameters of the components slightly depend on the adopted model. Long orbital period of both contact binaries combined with late spectral type indicate that the primary components of either of the systems (but particularly in case of DU Boo) already evolved off the main sequence. Based on spectroscopic data from the David Dunlap Observatory, University of Toronto

The study of the teaching process of physical activities has in the last fifteen years been subject to particularly marked development. Research in this field has largely taken its inspiration from the models used in the educational sciences: the description-correlation-experimentation loop and the input-process-output model. Recently it has increasingly adopted a qualitative approach. The description of teacher-pupil interaction and of their specific behaviours, the identification of a number of variables affecting pupils' success and the identification of the principal teaching skills have had repercussions both on the teaching of physical activities and on teacher training. The models used in this research paper appear generally applicable outside the school environment, in sports training up to the highest level and in the leisure pursuit of physical activities.

Background: Psychological tests can be useful to record adaptive and maladaptive behaviours of children with intellectual disability. The objective of this study was to describe the adaptive and maladaptive behaviour of children and adolescents with Cri-du-chat syndrome. Methods: The sample consisted of 10 children and adolescents with Cri-du-chat…

Sketches the development of business graphs in America. Examines their early use at Du Pont and the origin of the chart room around 1920, an important factor in the executive control systems at Du Pont. Draws lessons from this case study for managers and teachers of business communication. (PD)

This thesis describes a new medical imaging technique for determining the electrical conductivity distribution of tissues in a body region with a resolution comparable to that of current ultrasound techniques. The new technique, henceforth referred to as "Acousto-Electric Conductivity Modulation" (AECM) imaging, is based on the interaction of a sound wave with an electrical field. In its simplest form, four electrodes located near the region to be imaged apply a low-amplitude electrical current and measure the potential difference arising from current flow in the tissues. A focused ultrasound transducer directs a pressure wave to a voxel of the region of interest, modifying its conductivity distribution and, as a result, the amplitude of the potential measured by the electrodes. An image of the conductivity distribution can thus be constructed point-by-point by moving the electrodes and transducer to scan the object. In this context, the acoustic wave acts as the localization agent while the electrical potential provides a measure of the local conductivity change that occurs in the voxel. The first model presented in the thesis is based on the use of bipolar acoustic waves for excitation. This waveform is generally used with narrow band transducers. Acoustic waves generated by an ultrasound transducer driven with a burst of sine waves consists of alternating compression and rarefaction phases which tend to cancel each other in terms of the conductivity changes they produce. However when the thickness of the target object is small compared to the wavelength of the acoustic wave, this cancelling effect will not occur and the AECM signals will have sufficiently high amplitude to achieve image reconstruction using successive transducer positions to scan the region of interest. By extracting from the spectra of the AECM signals the amplitude of the peak at the excitation frequency, a map of the acousto-electric sensitivity of the system can be obtained. This map is then

This thesis describes a new medical imaging technique for determining the electrical conductivity distribution of tissues in a body region with a resolution comparable to that of current ultrasound techniques. The new technique, henceforth referred to as "Acousto-Electric Conductivity Modulation" (AECM) imaging, is based on the interaction of a sound wave with an electrical field. In its simplest form, four electrodes located near the region to be imaged apply a low-amplitude electrical current and measure the potential difference arising from current flow in the tissues. A focused ultrasound transducer directs a pressure wave to a voxel of the region of interest, modifying its conductivity distribution and, as a result, the amplitude of the potential measured by the electrodes. An image of the conductivity distribution can thus be constructed point-by-point by moving the electrodes and transducer to scan the object. In this context, the acoustic wave acts as the localization agent while the electrical potential provides a measure of the local conductivity change that occurs in the voxel. The first model presented in the thesis is based on the use of bipolar acoustic waves for excitation. This waveform is generally used with narrow band transducers. Acoustic waves generated by an ultrasound transducer driven with a burst of sine waves consists of alternating compression and rarefaction phases which tend to cancel each other in terms of the conductivity changes they produce. However when the thickness of the target object is small compared to the wavelength of the acoustic wave, this cancelling effect will not occur and the AECM signals will have sufficiently high amplitude to achieve image reconstruction using successive transducer positions to scan the region of interest. By extracting from the spectra of the AECM signals the amplitude of the peak at the excitation frequency, a map of the acousto-electric sensitivity of the system can be obtained. This map is then

This is a historical study of the roots of a concept which has proved to be essential in modern particle physics : the concept of quantum field. The first steps were accomplished by two young theoreticians : Pascual Jordan quantized the free electromagnetic field in 1925 by means of the formal rules of the just discovered matrix mechanics, and Paul Dirac quantized the whole system charges + field in 1927. Using Dirac's equation for electrons (1928) and Jordan's idea of quantized matter waves (second quantization), Werner Heisenberg and Wolfgang Pauli provided in 1929-1930 an extension of Dirac's radiation theory and the proof of its relativistic invariance. Meanwhile Enrico Fermi discovered independently a more elegant and pedagogical formulation. To appreciate the degree of historical necessity of the quantization of fields, and the value of contemporaneous critics to this approach, it was necessary to investigate some of the history of the old radiation theory. We present the various arguments however provisional or naïve or wrong they could be in retrospect. So we hope to contribute to a more vivid picture of notions which, once deprived of their historical setting, might seem abstruse to the modern user. Nous présentons une étude historique des origines d'un concept devenu essentiel dans la physique moderne des particules : le concept de champ quantique. Deux jeunes théoriciens franchirent les premières étapes : Pascual Jordan quantifia le champ électromagnétique en 1925 grâce aux règles formelles de la mécanique des matrices naissante, et Paul Dirac quantifia le système complet charges + champ en 1927. Au moyen de l'équation de l'électron de Dirac (1928) et de l'idée de Jordan d'ondes de matière quantifiées (deuxième quantification), Werner Heisenberg et Wolfgang Pauli donnèrent en 1929-1930 une extension de la théorie du rayonnement de Dirac et la preuve de son invariance relativiste. Pendant ce temps Enrico Fermi découvrit ind

The purification, identification, crystallization and preliminary crystallographic studies of an allergy-related protein, Pru du amandin, from P. dulcis nuts are reported. Food allergies appear to be one of the foremost causes of hypersensitivity reactions. Nut allergies account for most food allergies and are often permanent. The 360 kDa hexameric protein Pru du amandin, a known allergen, was purified from almonds (Prunus dulcis) by ammonium sulfate fractionation and ion-exchange chromatography. The protein was identified by a BLAST homology search against the nonredundant sequence database. Pru du amandin belongs to the 11S legumin family of seed storage proteins characterized by the presence of a cupin motif. Crystals were obtained by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method. The crystals belong to space group P4{sub 1} (or P4{sub 3}), with unit-cell parameters a = b = 150.7, c = 164.9 Å.

In 2009, the DuPage County Regional Office of Education (ROE) tasked volunteer physics teachers with creating a basic skills physics exam reflecting what the participants valued and shared in common across curricula. Mechanics, electricity & magnetism (E&M), and wave phenomena emerged as the primary constructs. The resulting exam was intended for first-exposure physics students. The most recently completed version was psychometrically assessed for unidimensionality within the constructs using a robust WLS structural equation model and for reliability. An item analysis using a 3-PL IRT model was performed on the mechanics items and a 2-PL IRT model was performed on the E&M and waves items; a distractor analysis was also performed on all items. Lastly, differential item functioning (DIF) and differential test functioning (DTF) analyses, using the Mantel-Haenszel procedure, were performed using gender, ethnicity, year in school, ELL, physics level, and math level as groupings.

The Pic du Midi coronagraph (CLIMSO) is a group of four instruments in parallel, taking images of the whole solar photosphere and low corona. It provides series of 2048*2048 pixels images taken nominally at 1 minute time intervals, all year long, weather permitting. A team of ≃q 60 persons, by groups of 2 or 3 each week, operate the instruments. Their work is programmed in collaboration with Institut de Recherches en astrophysique et planétologie (IRAP) of Observatoire Midi Pyrénées (OMP), and with Programme National Soleil Terre (PNST). The four instruments of CLIMSO (L1, C1, L2 and C2) collect images of the Sun as following: 1) L1 : photosphere in H-α (656.28 nm) ; 2) L2 : photosphere in Ca-II (393.37 nm) ; 3) C1 : prominences in H-α ; 4) C2 : prominences in He-I (1083.0 nm). The data taken are stored in fits format images and mpeg films. They are available publicly on data bases such as BASS 2000 Meudon ({http://bass2000.obspm.fr/home.php?lang=en} and BASS2000 Tarbes ({http://bass2000.bagn.obs-mip.fr/base/sun/index.php}). Several solar studies are carried in relation with these data. In addition to the raw fits images, new images will soon be sent to the data bases: they will be calibrated in solar surface emittance, expressed in W/m^2/nm/steradian. Series of mpeg films for each day are presented in superposed color layers, so as to visualize the multispectral information better. New instrumental developments are planned for the next years and already financed. They will use spectropolarimetry to measure the magnetic field and radial velocities in the photosphere and corona. The data will cover the entire solar disc and have a sample rate of one map per minute.

Corrosion and leaching of depleted uranium (DU) was investigated for 3 years using six DU munitions (145-264 g DU) each buried in a column with a soil core of about 3.3 kg dry soil mass. The columns were installed in an air-conditioned laboratory. Each week they were irrigated and (238)U was determined in the effluents by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. In addition, (235)U was measured occasionally to assure that the (238)U was predominantly from the DU munition. On average, 14.5 g corresponding to 7.9% of the initial DU mass was corroded after 3 years, indicating an increased corrosion as compared to the first year of observation. The leaching rates increased much stronger than the corrosion rates by factors of more than 100, resulting in a mean total amount of leached (238)U of 13 mg as compared to 0.03 mg after the first year. Uranium species identified in the seepage water by time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy were mainly hydroxo and carbonate compounds, while those in the corroded material were phosphate compounds. It is concluded that the dramatic increase of the leaching and its large temporal variability do not allow any extrapolation for the future. However, the high (238)U concentrations observed in the seepage water highlight the need for further investigations on the transport of (238)U through soil, in particular with regard to the potential future (238)U contamination of groundwater in areas affected by DU weapons. PMID:17549506

A new fluoroquinolone, DU-6859a, was studied for its in vitro and in vivo antimycobacterial activities. MIC determination by the agar dilution method with 7H11 medium revealed that DU-6859a had MICs at which 90% of M. kansasii (0.78 microgram/ml), M. marinum (1.56 micrograms/ml), M. scrofulaceum (1.56 micrograms/ml), M. fortuitum (0.39 microgram/ml), M. chelonae subsp. abscessus (6.25 micrograms/ml), and M. chelonae subsp. chelonae (1.56 micrograms/ml) were inhibited were 4 to 32 times lower than those of ofloxacin and sparfloxacin. The MICs of DU-6859a at which 90% of M. tuberculosis (0.2 microgram/ml) and M. avium-M. intracellulare complex (12.5 micrograms/ml each) were inhibited were comparable to those of sparfloxacin but were four- to eightfold lower than those of ofloxacin. Thus, DU-6859a possessed more potent in vitro activity than sparfloxacin and ofloxacin against most mycobacterial species. DU-6859a exerted significant efficacy against infections caused by M. intracellulare and M. chelonae subsp. abscessus induced in mice when it was given at a dose of 1 mg per mouse (ca. 50 mg/kg of body weight) in terms of reducing the frequency of occurrence and the degree of gross pulmonary or renal lesions and bacterial loads in the lungs, spleens, or kidneys. The efficacy of DU-6859a was greater than that of ofloxacin and was more pronounced against M. chelonae infections than against M. intracellulare infections. PMID:7695276

DuPont and Health Facilities Management magazine invited 20 national experts to Dalton, GA--the carpet-manufacturing capital of the world--last year to take part in Dupont's first-ever Forum on Carpet in Health Care Facilities. During the two-hour roundtable discussion, moderated by DuPont's C. Jack Murph and HFM's Michael Hemmes, ender-users, interior designers and carpet mill representatives talked about the aesthetic, economic and performance aspects of using carpet in health care settings. Here's an edited version of what they said. PMID:10131499

Field investigations were conducted during the summers of 1972, 1973, and 1974 by the USGS and the USBM to evaluate the mineral-resource potential of the Teton Wilderness, the Teton Corridor, and the Du Noir Addition to the Washakie Wilderness. As a result of this study it was determined that there is little promise for the occurrence of metallic mineral resources, but there is probable potential for oil and gas resources in two anticlines in the western part of the Teton Wilderness and in the postulated Younts Basin in the eastern part of the wilderness and the eastern part of the Du Noir Addition. The Whetstone anticline is the largest.

Digital flood-inundation maps for a 15.5-mi reach of the DuPage River from Plainfield to Shorewood, Illinois, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Will County Stormwater Management Planning Committee. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/flood_inundation/ depict estimates of the areal extent of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (gage heights or stages) at the USGS streamgage at DuPage River at Shorewood, Illinois (sta. no. 05540500). Current conditions at the USGS streamgage may be obtained on the Internet at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?05540500. In addition, the information has been provided to the National Weather Service (NWS) for incorporation into their Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) flood warning system (http://water.weather.gov/ahps/). The NWS forecasts flood hydrographs at many places that are often colocated with USGS streamgages. The NWS-forecasted peak-stage information, also shown on the DuPage River at Shorewood inundation Web site, may be used in conjunction with the maps developed in this study to show predicted areas of flood inundation. In this study, flood profiles were computed for the stream reach by means of a one-dimensional step-backwater model. The hydraulic model was then used to determine nine water-surface profiles for flood stages at 1-ft intervals referenced to the streamgage datum and ranging from NWS Action stage of 6 ft to the historic crest of 14.0 ft. The simulated water-surface profiles were then combined with a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) (derived from Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) data) by using a Geographic Information System (GIS) in order to delineate the area flooded at each water level. These maps, along with information on the Internet regarding current gage height from USGS streamgages and forecasted stream stages from the NWS, provide emergency

Depleted uranium (DU) munitions and armor plating have been used in several conflicts over the last 17 yr, including the Persian Gulf War and the Iraq War. Because of its effectiveness and availability, DU will continue to be used in military applications into the foreseeable future. There is much controversy over the use of DU in weapons and equipment because of its potential radiological and toxic hazards, and there is concern over the chronic adverse health effects of embedded DU shrapnel in war veterans and bystanders. This study evaluated the effects of long-term implantation of DU on the reproductive success of F0 generation adults and development and survival of subsequent F1 and F2 generations in a two-generation reproductive toxicity study. F0 generation Sprague-Dawley rats, 8 wk of age, were surgically implanted with 0, 4, 8, 12, or 20 DU pellets (1 x 2 mm). Inert implant control animals were implanted with 12 or 20 tantallum (Ta) pellets. The F0 generation was then mated at 120 d post DU implantation. In the F0 generation, when measured on postimplantation d 27 and 117, uranium was present in the urine of DU-implanted animals in a dose-dependent manner. F0 reproductive success was similar across treatment groups and the maternal retrieval test revealed no changes in maternal behavior. DU implantation exerted no effect on the survival, health, or well-being of the F0 generation. Necropsy results of F0 animals were negative with the exception of a marked inflammatory response surrounding the implanted DU pellets. For the F1 generation, measures of F1 development through postnatal day (PND) 20 were unremarkable and no gross abnormalities were observed in F1 offspring. No uranium was detected in whole-body homogenates of PND 4 or PND 20 pups. Necropsy findings of F1 PND 20 pups were negative and no instances of ribcage malformation were observed in F1 PND 20 pups. Body weight and body weight gain of F1 rats through PND 120 were similar across treatment

This paper presents a biographical sketch of the prolific African-American writer and sociologist W.E.B. Du Bois, designed as an instructional unit in an introduction to mass communication course which can help make students aware of the roles played by ethnic minorities in shaping American and world media. The paper provides numerous details of…

In spring 1987, the Gallup Organization conducted a telephone survey for the College of DuPage (COD) in Illinois to determine community perceptions of the college's role in the community; community awareness of COD and its competitors; perceptions of current college services; importance of factors in selecting an educational program; interest in…

Prepared to provide staff with a more comprehensive profile of the student body of the College of DuPage (COD), Illinois, this report looks at changes in the student body and its increasing diversity over the last 5 years, and raises issues for staff discussion and planning. The report is divided into 18 sections, each consisting of an…

This study examined morphological skills in a girl with cri du chat syndrome, addressing three questions: (1) To what extent does the subject inflect words? (2) To what extent are words inflected correctly? (3) To what extent do the inflected words reflect productive morphological rules, and to what extent can they be considered to be…

Research into archaeological resources of the Fond du Lac Band within the DOE proposed high-level nuclear waste sites resulted in the discovery of four traditional ancestral sites. A number of ancestral sites that are located within other proposed repository sites were also discovered.

DuPont reversed its voluntary commitment to phase out CFC production at the end of 1994 to prevent a possible shortage for automotive air conditioning repairs. In a December letter, the US EPA asked Dupont to continue producing its full 1995 allowance of 76 million tons of CFC-12 under the Montreal Protocol.

This article reviews research on speech and language abilities in people with cri du chat syndrome (CCS). CCS is a rare genetic disorder, with an estimated incidence between 1 in 15,000 and 1 in 50,000 births, resulting from a deletion on the short arm of chromosome 5. In general, individuals have delayed speech and language development, and some…

The literature on grammatical skills in persons with Cri du chat syndrome (CCS) is very limited, and the need for more knowledge in this area is thus evident, in particular for speech and language therapists working with individuals with this syndrome. This case study report describes the syntactic skills of a 14-year-old Norwegian girl with CCS.…

Background: Sleep problems are common in individuals with intellectual disability. Little is known about sleep in children and adults with Cri du Chat syndrome (CDC). Method: Sleep was investigated in 30 individuals with CDC using a sleep questionnaire. Sleep problems and sleep behaviours in individuals with CDC were compared with individuals with…

The pilot project described in this report was undertaken by the College of DuPage (CD) to increase the clerical efficiency of seven administrative offices through the installation of a computerized word processing and data transmission system. The first section of the report provides background information detailing: the history of computer…

Suggests that W.E.B. Du Bois' concept of the "double-consciousness" and Gloria Anzaldua's concept of the "mestiza consciousness" are significant forms of oppositional culture and consciousness. Asserts that their two concepts are linked and nuanced ideas that describe interlocking systems of oppression spanning two centuries and arguably binding…

Proposes that a direct and authoritative challenge to the scientific racism of the late eighteenth and early twentieth centuries was urgently needed, and was one of the leading rhetorical contributions of W.E.B. DuBois. Specifically examines three issues: social Darwinism, the eugenics movement, and psychologists' measurement of intelligence.…

Here, we announce the draft genome sequences of two thermophilic Thermotogae bacteria: Kosmotoga sp. strain DU53, isolated from a continental oil reservoir, and Kosmotoga arenicorallina, isolated from hydrothermal sediments. The sequences will provide further insight into evolution of the Kosmotogales. PMID:27313308

Building upon four previous planning documents for computing at College of DuPage in Illinois, this plan for fiscal year 1995 (FY95) provides a starting point for future plans to address all activities that relate to the use of information technology on campus. The FY95 "Information Technology Plan" is divided into six sections, each providing an…

This KHAN DU! project produced four half-hour television programs in the area of career education with emphasis on the handicapped, plus an extra nonbroadcast program designed for teachers. The four-program series was designed for children aged eight to eleven, although older children have responded favorably. The goals of the series were (1) to…

In this article, the author profiles Valeria Fike, supervisor of reference support and College and Career Information Center services at the College of DuPage Library (CODL), Glen Ellyn, Illinois. Valeria Fike, who supervises some 21 paraprofessionals at CODL, modestly attributes her successful career there to her being "simply in the right place…

This qualitative study used focus groups to identify the knowledge about the "Arts du Cirque" Program implemented in a primary school and to explore perceptions of its impacts. Data are based on the discourse of school staff members, parents and other members of the community of an elementary school. The impacts on students are illustrated in…

The College of DuPage's 5-year plan for meeting its academic, administrative, and central computing needs is presented. An executive summary reviews the planning process and highlights recommendations and financial considerations. As the first section of the report, the introduction presents the college's demographics, mission and vision…

W. E. B. Du Bois (1868-1963) is widely known as a champion for the political rights of African Americans, founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), aggressive advocate of Pan-Africanism, staunch supporter of female suffrage, and one of the creative forces behind the Harlem Renaissance. Further still, Du…

Until 1978, academic and administrative departments at College of DuPage, an Illinois community college, bought computer related equipment and software without an overall plan or coordination. The development of a coordination plan focused on finding an internal mechanism to solve two problems: individual departments buying computer-related…

Here, we announce the draft genome sequences of two thermophilic Thermotogae bacteria: Kosmotoga sp. strain DU53, isolated from a continental oil reservoir, and Kosmotoga arenicorallina, isolated from hydrothermal sediments. The sequences will provide further insight into evolution of the Kosmotogales. PMID:27313308

...The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that a limited scope Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) will be prepared for the proposed capacity improvements to Wisconsin Highway 23 from U.S. Highway 151 to County Highway P in Fond du Lac and Sheboygan Counties,...

A novel bacteriocin produced by avian duck isolated lactic acid bacterium Enterococcus faecalis DU10 was isolated. This bacteriocin showed a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity against important food-borne pathogens and was purified by size exclusion chromatography followed by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography in a C-18 column. Tricine-SDS PAGE revealed the presence of a band with an estimated molecular mass of 6.3 kDa. The zymogram clearly linked the antimicrobial activity with this band. This result was further confirmed by mass-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, since a sharp peak corresponding to 6.313 kDa was detected and the functional groups were revealed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Bacteriocin DU10 activity was found sensitive to proteinase-K and pepsin and partially affected by trypsin and α-chymotrypsin. The activity of bacteriocin DU10 was partially resistant to heat treatments ranging from 30 to 90°C for 30 min. It also withstood a treatment at 121°C for 10 min. Cytotoxicity of bacteriocin DU10 by methyl-thiazolyl-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide assay showed that the viability of HT-29 and HeLa cells decreased 60 ± 0.7% and 43 ± 4.8%, respectively, in the presence of 3,200 AU/mL of bacteriocin. The strain withstood 0.3% w/v of bile oxgall and pH 2 affected the bacterial growth between 2 and 4 hr of incubation. Adhesion properties examined with HT-29 cell line showed 69.85% initial population of strain E. faecalis DU10, which was found to be strongly adhered to this cell line. These results conclude bacteriocin DU10 may be used as a potential biopreservative and E. faecalis DU10 may be used as a potential probiont to control Salmonella infections. PMID:26786752

DuPont and Health Facilities Management magazine invited 20 national expert to Dalton, GA--the carpet-manufacturing capital of the world--on May 13 to take part in DuPont's first-ever Forum on Carpet in Health Care Facilities. During the two-hour roundtable discussion, moderated by DuPont's Jack Murph and HFM's Michael Hemmes, end-users, interior designers and carpet mill representatives talked about the aesthetic, economic and performance aspects of using carpet in health care settings. Here's an edited version of what they said. PMID:10183994

In April and May 1990, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), under the Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) program, demonstrated DuPont/Oberlin's microfiltration system at the Palmerton Zinc Superfund (PZS) site In Palmerton, Pennsylvania. The microfiltr...

Background Eucommia bark, Eucommia ulmoides Oliver barks (Du-Zhong in Mandarin), is an herb used for renal dysfunction in Chinese traditional medicine. In an attempt to develop this herb as a treatment for diabetic nephropathy (DN), we investigated the effects of Du-Zhong on renal dysfunction in type 1-like diabetic rats. Methods Streptozotocin (STZ) was used to induce type 1-like diabetes in rats (STZ-diabetic rats). In addition to hyperglycemia, STZ-diabetic rats showed significant nephropathy, including higher plasma levels of blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and renal fibrosis. Western blot analysis of renal cortical tissue was applied to characterize the changes in potential signals related to nephropathy. Results Oral administration of Du-Zhong (1 g/kg/day) to STZ-diabetic rats for 20 days not only decreased the plasma levels of blood urea nitrogen and creatinine but also improved renal fibrosis, whereas the plasma glucose level was not changed. The higher expressions of protein levels of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) and connective tissue growth factor in diabetic rats were markedly attenuated by Du-Zhong. The increased phosphorylation of Smad2/3 in STZ-diabetic rats was also reduced by Du-Zhong. However, Du-Zhong cannot reverse the hyperglycemia-induced overproduction of signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 in the diabetic kidney. Conclusion Oral administration of Du-Zhong improves STZ-induced DN in rats by inhibiting TGF-β/Smad signaling and suppressing TGF-β/connective tissue growth factor expression. Therefore, active principle from Du-Zhong is suitable to develop as new agent for DN in the future. PMID:27041999

A biogaphy of W. E. B. Du Bois is presented in this book for young children. Du Bois is widely regarded as the foremost black intellectual from the United States. A great scholar, he was the first black American to receive a Ph.D. from Harvard University. Of his written work he is probably best known for his essays, "The Souls of Black Folk." Du…

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-related mental disorder characterized by progressive loss of memory and multiple cognitive impairments. The overproduction and aggregation of Amyloid β protein (Aβ) in the brain, especially in the hippocampus, are closely involved in the memory loss in the patients with AD. Accumulating evidence indicates that the Aβ-induced imbalance of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) in the brain plays an important role in the AD pathogenesis and progression. The level of DHEA is elevated, while DHEAS is dramatically decreased in the AD brain. The present study tried to restore the balance between DHEA and DHEAS by using a non-steroidal sulfatase inhibitor DU-14, which increases endogenous DHEAS through preventing DHEAS converted back into DHEA. We found that: (1) DU-14 effectively attenuated the Aβ1-42-induced cognitive deficits in spatial learning and memory of rats in Morris water maze test; (2) DU-14 prevented Aβ1-42-induced decrease in the cholinergic theta rhythm of hippocampal local field potential (LFP) in the CA1 region; (3) DU-14 protected hippocampal synaptic plasticity against Aβ1-42-induced suppression of long term potentiation (LTP). These results provide evidence for the neuroprotective action of DU-14 against neurotoxic Aβ, suggesting that up-regulation of endogenous DHEAS by DU-14 could be beneficial to the alleviation of Aβ-induced impairments in spatial memory and synaptic plasticity. PMID:27222435

Determining the enrichment of highly enriched uranium (HEU) metal assemblies shielded by depleted uranium (DU) proves a unique challenge to currently employed measurement techniques. Efforts to match time-correlated neutron distributions obtained through active interrogation to Monte Carlo simulations of the assemblies have shown promising results, given that the exact geometries of both the HEU metal assemblies and DU shields are known from imaging and fission site mapping. In certain situations, however, it is desirable to obtain enrichment with limited or no geometrical information of the assemblies being measured. This paper explores the possibility that the utilization of observables in the interrogation of assemblies by time-tagged D-T neutrons, including time-correlated distribution of neutrons and gammas using liquid scintillators operating on the fission chain time scale, can lead to enrichment determination without a complete set of geometrical information.

This is Cordoba Carte du Ciel-Astrographic Catalog (CCAC) constructed from four Carte du Ciel and one Astrographic Catalog photographic plates for first epoch positions in the region of the open cluster Collinder 132. The plates were digitized using the MAMA measuring machine from the Paris Observatory. Stars from Tycho-2 catalogue (Hog et al., 2000, Cat. I/259) were used as reference stars. Every plate was reduced independently from the others adopting a first order polynomial in the measured coordinates. Proper motions were calculated using the CCAC positions as first epoch, and as second epoch the positions given by UCAC2 (Zacharias et al., 2004, Cat. I/289) and USNO-B1.0 (Monet et al., 2003, Cat. I/284). (2 data files).

The accurate shape of the Sun has been actively debated since 1974. So far, balloon and satellite experiments achieved the required sensibility to measure the expected small asphericities of the solar limb shape. However, exceptional good meteorological conditions encountered during several missions at the Pic du Midi Observatory have permitted to measure the coefficients shape of the solar limb on the two first Legendre polynomials expansion. In theory, this photospheric outer shape is sensitive to the interior rate, and asphericities can be explained both in terms of gravitational moments and thermal wind. We present observations made at the Pic du Midi Observatory and we compare results with these obtained by SDS (Sofia et al., 1994, 1996) and SOHO/MDI (Kuhn, 1999). The accepted and dedicated PICARD space mission on this subject is briefly presented.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with DuPage County Department of Engineering, Stormwater Management Division, maintains a database of hourly meteorologic and hydrologic data for use in a near real-time streamflow simulation system, which assists in the management and operation of reservoirs and other flood-control structures in the Salt Creek watershed in DuPage County, Illinois. The majority of the precipitation data are collected from a tipping-bucket rain-gage network located in and near DuPage County. The other meteorologic data (wind speed, solar radiation, air temperature, and dewpoint temperature) are collected at Argonne National Laboratory in Argonne, Illinois. Potential evapotranspiration is computed from the meteorologic data. The hydrologic data (discharge and stage) are collected at USGS streamflow-gaging stations in DuPage County. These data are stored in a Watershed Data Management (WDM) database. This report describes a version of the WDM database that was quality-assured and quality-controlled annually to ensure the datasets were complete and accurate. This version of the WDM database contains data from January 1, 1997, through September 30, 2004, and is named SEP04.WDM. This report provides a record of time periods of poor data for each precipitation dataset and describes methods used to estimate the data for the periods when data were missing, flawed, or snowfall-affected. The precipitation dataset data-filling process was changed in 2001, and both processes are described. The other meteorologic and hydrologic datasets in the database are fully described in the annual U.S. Geological Survey Water Data Report for Illinois and, therefore, are described in less detail than the precipitation datasets in this report.

Since its creation, many professional observations of the solar system have been performed from the one meter telescope at professional astronomy observatory at Pic-du-Midi de Bigorre (2877m, France). Since a few years, a few experienced amateur astronomers can use it autonomously to make useful observations and following of solar system bodies, leading to a useful collaboration with professional astronomers on the study of giant planets, which retributes them for their involvement in planetary science.

Southeast Community College (SCC) hosted the first DuPont Conference for Chemical Technology Education at its Lincoln, Nebraska campus October 4-6, 1997. The conference brought together fourteen practicing chemists and chemistry technicians and five college and university faculty members for the express purpose of suggesting new laboratory activities that would help relate the real world of work to the education of chemical laboratory technicians in community colleges. Participants included seven men and seven women from DuPont, Procter & Gamble, Eastman Chemical, Eastman Kodak, Dow Chemical, Air Products and Chemicals, Monsanto, Union Carbide, the Nebraska Agriculture Laboratory, and the University of Nebraska Biological Process Development Facility, Department of Food Science. The conference, sponsored by the E. I. DuPont DeNemours & Company through a grant awarded to SCC in June 1997, was intended to help further the goals of the two major projects underway at SCC, funded by the National Science Foundation's Advanced Technological Education Program. These projects, dubbed "Assignment: Chemical Technology I and II", or ACT-I and ACT-II, are curriculum and materials development projects. The invited scientists had between 2 and 32 years of experience that ranged from bench work to management levels. Many are or have been active on the national scene as members and officers of the American Chemical Society's Division of Chemical Technicians and the ACS Committee on Technician Activities.

Plant-derived dietary polyphenolic compounds, such as flavonoids, with cancer cell-specific pro-apoptotic activity and chemopreventive potential are thought to be promising anticancer agents. In the present study, we were interested in determining if flavonoid-induced genotoxicity may also provoke cancer cell death. Cyto- and genotoxicity of three selected flavonoid glycosides (naringin, diosmin and hesperidin) in DU145 prostate cancer cell line were investigated. Flavonoid glycosides decreased cancer cell number and proliferative activity in a different manner. Flavonoid glycosides induced oxidative stress: intracellular total ROS and superoxide production were augmented after flavonoid treatment. Flavonoid glycosides stimulated DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) and micronuclei production. Diosmin was found the most potent genotoxic agent in DU145 cells, which, in turn, resulted in its pro-apoptotic activity. The more robust recruitment of 53BP1 was correlated with lower DNA and chromosomal damage after naringin and hesperidin treatment compared with diosmin treatment. Flavonoid glycosides were also found to be DNA hypomethylating agents with an ability to modulate cancer cell epigenome leading to changes in the gene expression patterns. Taken together, diosmin, a dietary flavonoid glycoside, was found active against DU145 cells by promoting genotoxic events and a concomitant apoptotic cell death. Thus, a comprehensive analysis of biological activity of diosmin against cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo deserves further investigation. PMID:25499067

The results of experiment performed on a recrystallized zircaloy 4 alloy in the intermediate temperature domain 20 leqslant T leqslant 400 ^{circ}C are presented. To characterize the anisotropy, especially at 350 ^{circ}C, the tests were made under both monotonic and cyclic uni- and bidirectional loadings, i.e. tension-compression, tension-torsion and tension-internal pressure tests. The different anisotropy coefficients and especially R^p = \\varepsilon^p_{θθ} /\\varepsilon^ p _ {{^-_-}{^-_-} } seem to be temperature independent. An important feature of the behavior of this alloy in the neighbourhood of 300 ^{circ}C is attributed to the dislocations-point defects interactions (dynamic strain aging), phenomena often observed in the solid solutions. For the 2D cyclic non proportional loadings it is shown that a weak supplementary hardening appears, which is a function of the degree of the phase lag. We propose to particularize and to apply a unified viscoplastic model with internal variables to the considered alloy, as the model as already been developed and identified elsewhere for other isotropic materials. From a general point of view the introduction of the anisotropy in the model is made by four tensors of rank 4 ; [ M] is assigned to the flow directions, [ N] to the linear parts of the kinematical hardening variables and [ Q] , [ R] respectively to the dynamic and static recoveries of these tensorial variables. This phenomenological formulation leads to a correct representation of the set of the experimental results presented at 350 ^{circ}C, which provides an a posteriori confirmation of the formalism used. On étudie, entre 20 et 400 ^{circ}C, à l'aide d'essais sous chargements multiaxiaux monotones et cycliques (traction, torsion et pression interne) les propriétés viscoplastiques anisotropes de tube de zircaloy 4 recristallisé. A la température de 350 ^{circ}C, l'anisotropie a été quantifiée de façon détaillée. Les quelques résultats obtenus

The ryanodine receptor (RyR) is a large, intracellular calcium (Ca(2+)) channel that is associated with several accessory proteins and is an important component of a cell's ability to respond to changes in the environment. Three isoforms of the RyR exist and are well documented for skeletal and cardiac muscle and the brain, but the isoforms in non-excitable cells are poorly understood. The aggressiveness of breast cancers in women has been positively correlated with the expression of the RyR in breast tumor tissue, but it is unknown if this is limited to specific isoforms. Identification and characterization of RyRs in cancer models is important in understanding the role of the RyR channel complex in cancer and as a potential therapeutic target. The objective of this report was to identify the RyR isoforms expressed in widely used prostate cancer cell lines, DU-145 and LNCaP, and the non-tumorigenic prostate cell line, PWR-1E. Oligonucleotide primers specific for each isoform were used in semi-quantitative and real-time PCR to determine the identification and expression levels of the RyR isoforms. RyR1 was expressed in the highest amount in DU-145 tumor cells, expression was 0.48-fold in the non-tumor cell line PWR-1E compared to DU-145 cells, and no expression was observed in LNCaP tumor cells. DU-145 cells had the lowest expression of RyR2. The expression was 26- and 15-fold higher in LNCaP and PWR-1E cells, respectively. RyR3 expression was not observed in any of the cell lines. All cell types released Ca(2+) in response to caffeine showing they had functional RyRs. Total cellular RyR-associated Ca(2+) release is determined by both the number of activated RyRs and its accessory proteins which modulate the receptor. Our results suggest that the correlation between the expression of the RyR and tumor aggression is not related to specific RyR isoforms, but may be related to the activity and number of receptors. PMID:22846571

Quality assurance and, in particular, automated testing, should be one of the key elements of modern software development. However, applying common techniques from software engineering to numerical frameworks, such as Dune, may be challenging since the requirements for a test might be very different to standard software. This talk gives an overview of our work in describing system tests for numerical software and developing test tools to ensure that qualitative and quantitative properties of PDE discretizations are preserved. The developed tools are employed in the Dune discretization module Dune-PDELab and the porous-media simulator DuMux.The newly developed module dune-testtools provides the following components: A domain specific language for feature modelling, which is naturally integrated into the workflow of numerical simulation. Tools to test whether a given PDE discretization does still yield the correct result without performance (or scalability) regressions. Integration of the above tools into a CMake based build system. Extensions to the Dune core modules to support the development of system tests.

For 15 years, the debate about depleted uranium (DU) and its detrimental effects on the health of veterans of the Gulf War of 1991, on the Iraqi people and military (and subsequently on the people of Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq during the second war) has remained unresolved. Meanwhile, the number of Gulf War veterans who have developed the so-called Gulf War syndrome has risen to about one-third of the 800,000 U.S. forces deployed, and unknown proportions of those involved in the subsequent wars. Uncounted civilians and personnel of other nations that fought in Iraq and other wars since 1991 have also been afflicted. The veterans have suffered from multiple serious physiological disorders and have received little or no official recognition, medical relief, or compensation. We need to take another look at this issue, using a holistic and interactive model for the toxic matrix of exposures, identifying the major roadblocks to resolving the scientific questions, and finding appropriate medical and political responses. This commentary is such an attempt. PMID:16981628

Artocarpus altilis (Parkinson) Fosberg has traditionally been used in Indonesia for the treatment of liver cirrhosis, hypertension, and diabetes. In many other countries, it is used for the treatment of malaria, yellow fever, and dengue fever. It has been reported that A. altilis extracts have antiatherosclerotic and cytoprotective effects, but its molecular targets in tumor cells are not yet fully understood. The A. altilis extracts and the partially purified fraction have been shown to inhibit STAT3 activity and the phosphorylation of STAT3 in a dose-dependent manner. To identify the active components, a bioassay-guided isolation of the partially purified fraction resulted in the identification of a geranyl dihydrochalcone, CG901. Its chemical structure was established on the basis of spectroscopic evidence and comparison with published data. The partially purified fraction and the isolated a geranyl dihydrochalcone, CG901, down-regulated the expression of STAT3 target genes, induced apoptosis in DU145 prostate cancer cells via caspase-3 and PARP degradation, and inhibited tumor growth in human prostate tumor (DU145) xenograft initiation model. These results suggest that A. altilis could be a good natural source and that the isolated compound will be a potential lead molecule for developing novel therapeutics against STAT3-related diseases, including cancer and inflammation. PMID:25682949

We formulate a deterministic mathematical model to describe the dynamics of the microphytobenthos of intertidal mudflats. It is 'minimal' because it only takes into account the essential processes governing the functioning of the system: the autotrophic production, the active upward and downward migrations of epipelic microalgae, the saturation of the mud surface by a biofilm of diatoms and the global net loss rates of biomass. According to the photic environment of the benthic diatoms inhabiting intertidal mudflats, and to their migration rhythm, the model is composed of two sub-systems of ordinary differential equations; they describe the simultaneous evolution of the biomass 'S' concentrated in the mud surface biofilm - the photic layer - and of the biomass 'F' diluted in the topmost centimetre of the mud - the aphotic layer. Qualitatively, the model solutions agree fairly well with the in situ observed dynamics of the S + F biomass. The study of the mathematical properties of the model, under some simplifying assumptions, shows the convergence of solutions to a stable cyclic equilibrium, whatever the frequencies of the physical synchronizers of the production. The sensitivity analysis reveals the necessity of a better knowledge of the processes of biomass losses, which so far are uncertain, and may further vary in space and time.

Knowledge of the dynamic characteristics of a fixed-wing UAV is necessary to design flight control laws and to conceive a high quality flight simulator. The basic features of a flight mechanic model include the properties of mass, inertia and major aerodynamic terms. They respond to a complex process involving various numerical analysis techniques and experimental procedures. This thesis focuses on the analysis of estimation techniques applied to estimate problems of stability and control derivatives from flight test data provided by an experimental UAV. To achieve this objective, a modern identification methodology (Quad-M) is used to coordinate the processing tasks from multidisciplinary fields, such as parameter estimation modeling, instrumentation, the definition of flight maneuvers and validation. The system under study is a non-linear model with six degrees of freedom with a linear aerodynamic model. The time domain techniques are used for identification of the drone. The first technique, the equation error method is used to determine the structure of the aerodynamic model. Thereafter, the output error method and filter error method are used to estimate the aerodynamic coefficients values. The Matlab scripts for estimating the parameters obtained from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) are used and modified as necessary to achieve the desired results. A commendable effort in this part of research is devoted to the design of experiments. This includes an awareness of the system data acquisition onboard and the definition of flight maneuvers. The flight tests were conducted under stable flight conditions and with low atmospheric disturbance. Nevertheless, the identification results showed that the filter error method is most effective for estimating the parameters of the drone due to the presence of process noise and measurement. The aerodynamic coefficients are validated using a numerical analysis of the vortex method. In addition, a

The messages of Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. DuBois could not have been more diverse. The philosophical rivalry between Washington and DuBois has deep historical roots. To be on the same side fighting for the same purpose, progress, and uplifting of the Black race, these two Black intellectuals harbored radically divergent views on how to…

This issue contains proceedings of a colloquium on linguistics at the University of Neuchatel: (1) "Propositions epistemologiques pour une etude du bilinguisme (Epistemological Propositions for a Study of Bilingualism)," by B. Py; (2) "Comment on di ca? Prolegomenes a une etude de la composante semantique du langage des migrants (How Do You Say…

The article highlights the ongoing relevance of W.E.B. Du Bois for the global analysis of race and class. Engaging scholarly debates that have ensued within the educational subfields of critical race theory (CRT) and (revolutionary) critical pedagogy, the article explores how a deeper engagement with Du Bois's ideas contributes theoretically and…

The Cri du Chat syndrome is a segmental aneusomy associated with deletions in the short arm of human chromosome 5. More specifically, the cytogenetic band 5p15.2 must be deleted in order to manifest the typical phenotypic signs. We have studied several cell lines from individuals who have chromosomal abnormalities within this cytogenetic band but who do not have typical Cri du Chat syndrome. In fact, several individual studied have no discernible features of this syndrome. Using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis and PCR analysis on somatic cell hybrids we have mapped the breakpoints relative to each other within this band. There is a great degree of phenotypic heterogeneity between several of the patients, even those which share common breakpoints. This heterogeneity makes it very difficult to narrow the region of interest to a very small (<1 Mb) region. In order to more thoroughly analyze this region, we have assembled a yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) contig of part of this region. This contig has been analyzed for STS content and covers approximately a 1.5-2.0 Mb region within 5p15.2. In addition, we have constructed a radiation hybrid map of the region. The YACs contained within the minimal contig have been used as hybridization probes to isolate corresponding cosmid clones within the region of interest. These cosmids, in turn, are being utilized to obtain potential exons using exon amplification. Several cosmids within this region have been isolated by STS content and potential exons have been isolated from them. These exons have been used as probes to isolate cDNA clones from the region. It is our hope that isolation of genes throughout the region of interest will allow a better understanding of the etiology of Cri du Chat.

This plan discusses the current energy use on the Lac du Flambeau Reservation, the current status of the Tribe's energy program, as well as the issues and concerns with energy on the reservation. This plan also identifies and outlines energy opportunities, goals, and objectives for the Tribe to accomplish. The overall goal of this plan is to address the energy situation of the reservation in a holistic manner for the maximum benefit to the Tribe. This plan is an evolving document that will be re-evaluated as the Tribe's energy situation changes.

Shortly before 1910, Dr Boucard creates his laboratory in Paris. It manufactures and sells a drug based on lactic ferments the " Lactéol du Dr Boucard" (Dr's Boucard Lactéol) that will make the fortune of the physician. The article explains Dr Boucard's life and his relationship with the arts (painting and photography), and tells the story of his laboratory until the 2000s, referring to the pharmacists who succeeded them, as well as the various buildings where were elaborated Lactéol's variants. PMID:27281930

A test program was conducted with duPont duplicating film type SR 112 and SCOLOR developer and Kodak duplicating film types 2430, 2422, and FE 2628 (SO-467) and MX-641 developer to determine sensitometric and image quality characteristics of these materials when used with a fultron spray processor. The test results show that the SCOLOR developer foams excessively in the fultron processor when used with or without the addition of an antifoaming agent. The Kodak type FE 2628 film with MX-641 chemistry had the longest linear Log E range at a 1.0 gamma. Sensitometric curves and granularity traces for all film process combinations tested are included.

We report the classification of LSQ13ccg (23:03:11.45 +14:41:39.1) as a Type Ia supernova near maximum light. The supernova was first detected by LSQ (La Silla-QUEST - Baltay et al. PASP 125 683) on September 1.1 at V = 19.4 and was followed-up by the Carnegie Supernova Project using the du Pont Telescope with WFCCD on 2013 September 3. The supernova is found to be at z = 0.077. The spectrum also shows strong emission from a nearby HII region in the host at the same redshift.

The two quantum secret sharing protocols in the paper of Brádler and Dušek (2004 J. Opt. B: Quantum Semiclass. Opt. 6 63) are analysed and it is shown that both protocols are insecure not only for a dishonest participant but also for an external eavesdropper. An external eavesdropper Eve can steal half of Alice's secret without being detected, if she employs a special attack strategy. We give a possible way to improve the protocol to withstand this attack.

Context Eucommiae Cortex and Radix Dipsaci, occurring in a ratio of 1:1 in Du-Zhong-Wan (DZW), a Chinese herbal medicine, is available as a water extract followed by ethanol precipitation for the treatment of osteoporosis, fractures and menopausal syndrome. Objective This study investigates the protective effects of DZW in ovariectomy (OVX)-induced bone loss in a rat osteopenia model. Materials and methods Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the sham-operated group (SHAM) and five OVX subgroups: OVX with vehicle (OVX), 17β-estradiol (E2) and with three graded doses of DZW. Daily oral administration of the different samples started on the fifth week and lasted for 12 weeks, respectively. The body weight, uterus wet weight, serum biochemical parameters, bone mineral density (BMD), bone biomechanical properties, bone microarchitecture and immunohistochemistry were examined. Results Compared with the SHAM group, the DZW treatment significantly reversed the osteoporotic changes in OVX rats. The DZW-H group showed that serum tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRACP-5b) levels reduced by 152.25% (p

Background The question of whether symbolically mediated behavior is exclusive to modern humans or shared with anatomically archaic populations such as the Neandertals is hotly debated. At the Grotte du Renne, Arcy-sur-Cure, France, the Châtelperronian levels contain Neandertal remains and large numbers of personal ornaments, decorated bone tools and colorants, but it has been suggested that this association reflects intrusion of the symbolic artifacts from the overlying Protoaurignacian and/or of the Neandertal remains from the underlying Mousterian. Methodology/Principal Findings We tested these hypotheses against the horizontal and vertical distributions of the various categories of diagnostic finds and statistically assessed the probability that the Châtelperronian levels are of mixed composition. Our results reject that the associations result from large or small scale, localized or generalized post-depositional displacement, and they imply that incomplete sample decontamination is the parsimonious explanation for the stratigraphic anomalies seen in the radiocarbon dating of the sequence. Conclusions/Significance The symbolic artifacts in the Châtelperronian of the Grotte du Renne are indeed Neandertal material culture. PMID:21738702

In this article, we focus on the social image of the phenomenon known as mesmerism, or animal magnetism, through analysis of the works: The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar (1845) by Edgar Allan Poe, The Great Keinplatz Experiment (1885) by Conan Doyle and Trilby (1894) by George Du Maurier. We describe the stereotype of the mesmerist and the uses of mesmerism observed. We pay attention to the spaces and actors of the mesmeric transcript presented in the stories. We consider the reception of these stories by the public and the relationship of the authors with mesmeric and hypnotic knowledge. Nowadays, academic researchers in the discipline of psychology publish articles and books on popular myths about hypnosis in attempts to depict the distorted images related to this phenomenon. This distorted image of the hypnotic process and the hypnotist derives from "circus" hypnotism shows (stage hypnosis), the cinema, television and fictional literature. Works of fiction represent a unique and invaluable source of information, ideas, speculations, concerns and opportunities around animal magnetism and hypnosis, and the exploration and analysis of this literature is an essential chapter in any historical study of this topic. We see how the literary use of mesmerism by Poe, Doyle and Du Maurier is not chance or peripheral, with all three being intellectually interested in and stimulated by these ideas. PMID:25508821

Jurisdictional wetlands of the Argonne National Laboratory-East (ANL-E) site in DuPage County, Illinois, were delineated in the summer and autumn of 1993 in accordance with the 1987 US Army Corps of Engineers methodology. Potential wetland sites with an area greater than 500 m{sup 2} (0.05 ha [0.124 acre]) were identified for delineation on the basis of aerial photographs, the DuPage County soil survey, and reconnaissance-level field studies. To qualify as a jurisdictional wetland, an area had to support a predominance of hydrophytic vegetation as well as have hydric soil and wetland hydrology. Thirty-five individual jurisdictional wetlands were delineated at ANL-E, totaling 180,604 m{sup 2} (18.1 ha [44.6 acres]). These wetlands were digitized onto the ANL-E site map for use in project planning. Characteristics of each wetland are presented -- including size, dominant plant species and their indicator status, hydrologic characteristics (including water source), and soil characteristics.

In this article, we focus on the social image of the phenomenon known as mesmerism, or animal magnetism, through analysis of the works: The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar (1845) by Edgar Allan Poe, The Great Keinplatz Experiment (1885) by Conan Doyle and Trilby (1894) by George Du Maurier. We describe the stereotype of the mesmerist and the uses of mesmerism observed. We pay attention to the spaces and actors of the mesmeric transcript presented in the stories. We consider the reception of these stories by the public and the relationship of the authors with mesmeric and hypnotic knowledge. Nowadays, academic researchers in the discipline of psychology publish articles and books on popular myths about hypnosis in attempts to depict the distorted images related to this phenomenon. This distorted image of the hypnotic process and the hypnotist derives from "circus" hypnotism shows (stage hypnosis), the cinema, television and fictional literature. Works of fiction represent a unique and invaluable source of information, ideas, speculations, concerns and opportunities around animal magnetism and hypnosis, and the exploration and analysis of this literature is an essential chapter in any historical study of this topic. We see how the literary use of mesmerism by Poe, Doyle and Du Maurier is not chance or peripheral, with all three being intellectually interested in and stimulated by these ideas. PMID:25481969

During the last decades the alpine region has revealed to be extremely sensitive to ongoing increasing temperatures and permafrost has been identified as one of six cryospheric indicators of global climate change. In high-mountain regions the permafrost evidences are scarse and punctual, while its occurrence is wide and its distribution is mainly controlled by complex topography and ground cover condition. In such environment, steep bedrock slopes are abundant and contain a significant proportion of permafrost whose thermal response is very fast compared to permafrost in gentle morphology because of its less amount of ice content. Due to logistical problems like accessibility, costs, weather conditions, etc..., monitoring sites in such environments are few, while an increase of measurements of rockwall temperature and system energy balance is fundamental for the calibration and validation of both physical and statistical permafrost models. Started in the framework of the French-Italian project PERMAdataROC (www.fondazionemontagnasicura.org/multimedia/permadataroc/) and presently developped within the EU co-funded project PermaNET (www.permanet-alpinespace.eu), several monitoring sites have been equipped during the last years in the Western Alps from a collaboration of Swiss, French and Italian researchers, with the aim to cover the widest range of climatic, topographic, morphological and geological conditions. In such network, the Aiguille du Midì can be considered one of the most advanced site in high-mountain permafrost research thanks to the convergence of several instrumental approaches, but also a "cooperation laboratory" among different research groups. The site has been choosen because of its elevation, aspects variability, steep slopes and accessibility all over the year. In details, ARPA Valle d'Aosta in collaboration with University of Zurich started in 2006 the monitoring of rockwall thermal regimes and of some meteorological parameters on the different

Recently the ratio of neutron to proton structure functions F{sub 2}{sup n}/F{sub 2}{sup p} was extracted from a phenomenological correlation between the strength of the nuclear EMC effect and inclusive electron-nucleus cross section ratios at x > 1. Within conventional models of nuclear smearing, this 'in-medium correction' (IMC) extraction constrains the size of nuclear effects in the deuteron structure functions, from which the neutron structure function F{sub 2}{sup n} is usually extracted. The IMC data determine the resulting proton d/u quark distribution ratio, extrapolated to x = 1, to be 0.23 {+-} 0.09 with a 90% confidence level. This is well below the SU(6) symmetry limit of 1/2 and significantly above the scalar diquark dominance limit of 0.

Temperatures were measured in two deep boreholes drilled at the same location in the ice at Col du Dôme (4250 m) in 1994 and 2005, providing clear evidence of atmospheric warming. The 1994 temperature profile was already far from steady state conditions. Results from a heat transfer model reveal that the englacial temperature increase cannot be explained solely by atmospheric temperature rise. The latent heat produced by the refreezing of surface meltwater below the surface also contributes to the englacial temperature increase. Although surface melting is normally very low at this altitude, this contribution became significant after 1980 for temperatures at the top of the borehole. Simulations for different climatic scenarios show that glaciated areas located between 3500 and 4250 m could become temperate in the future. This warming could have a major impact on the stability of hanging glaciers frozen to their beds if the melting point is reached.

The comparison between air-heated insolators, no porous and porous plate, often has been made experimentaly. The behaviour model of these insolators permit generalization of the study in the conditions where each insolator is the most performant. La comparaison des capteurs solaires à air à absorbeur de type tôle et de type poreux a été abordée le plus souvent de façon expérimentale. La modélisation du fonctionnement de ces types de capteur permet de généraliser cette comparaison et de définir les domaines de fonctionnement où un type de capteur se montre plus efficace que l'autre.

This paper reports results of gamma and alpha spectrometric measurements for mosses, lichens, fungi and soil samples from areas in the Balkans targeted by depleted uranium (DU). Samples were collected in 2002 and 2003 in the vicinity of several villages, principally Han Pijesak (Bosnia and Herzegovina, hit by DU in 1995) and Bratoselce (South Serbia, hit by DU in 1999) and in lesser numbers from Gornja Stubla, Kosovo (which is identified as a high natural radon/thoron area) and Presevo close to the Kosovo border. In the course of gamma spectrometric measurements some results suggested samples with unusual high uranium contents which might be considered to be a signature for the presence of DU, although many samples had very high detection limits. Alpha spectrometric measurements directly proved the presence of DU for five samples, all from directly targeted places. These were samples of mosses, lichens and soil. For some samples homogeneity tests were applied which showed a rather even distribution of DU in these samples. No trace of DU was found in any sample from a dwelling. PMID:18502546

Non-metastatic glycoprotein melanoma protein B (GPNMB), also known as osteoactivin (OA) is expressed in a wide array of tumors and represents an emerging target for drug development. In this study, we investigated the role of GPNMB/OA in the progression of human metastatic DU145 and PC3 prostate cancer cells. GPNMB/OA contribution in PCa malignant phenotype has been analyzed by small interfering RNA-induced GPNMB/OA silencing. We found that following GPNMB/OA silencing the migration capability of both DU145 and PC3 cells, evaluated by using in vitro invasivity assay, as well as the metalloproteinases MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity were equally strongly inhibited. By contrast knocking down GPNMB/OA weakly attenuated cell proliferation rate of DU145, an effect that paralleled with an increase number of apoptotic cells. However, PC3 cell growth seems to be not affected by GPNMB/OA. Together, these data reveal that GPNMB/OA acts as a critical molecular mediator promoting the acquisition of the more aggressive, pro-metastatic phenotype distinctive of human DU145 and PC3 cell lines. - Highlights: • GPNMB/OA expression correlates with DU145 and PC3 cells malignant phenotype. • GPNMB/OA silencing affects the migration capability of both DU145 and PC3 cells. • GPNMB/OA increases invasiveness by up-regulating MMPs activity. • GPNMB/OA promotes DU145 and PC3 cells progression into a more aggressive phenotype.

The following three African-American philosophical orientations to education have achieved prominence over the years: (1) the accommodationist philosophy of Booker T. Washington; (2) the radical, liberationist approach of W. E. B. DuBois; and (3) the integrationist/desegregationist, reformist philosophy of Charles H. Houston. Each philosophical…

Background: The current study focuses on mothers and fathers of children with three rare genetic syndromes that are relatively unexplored in terms of family experience: Angelman syndrome, Cornelia de Lange syndrome and Cri du Chat syndrome. Method: Parents of children with Angelman syndrome (n = 15), Cornelia de Lange syndrome (n = 16) and Cri du…

... Federal Aviation Administration Public Notice for Waiver of Aeronautical Land-use Assurance; DuPage... change a portion of airport land from aeronautical use to non-aeronautical use and to authorize the sale... compatible land use and is not needed for aeronautical use, as shown on the Airport Layout Plan. The...

... From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission County of DuPage; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Comments, Motions To Intervene, and Competing Applications December 10, 2010. On September 21, 2010, the County of...

The purpose of this study was to describe perceptions of stakeholders (leadership of Concordia Language Villages, staff members and villagers of "Lac du Bois", the French Language Village of Concordia Language Villages), related to achievement of the mission statement. The research question was: How do stakeholders in "Lac du…

In addition to its beginnings within legal scholarship, Critical Race Theory (CRT) is intimately aligned with the long tradition of African American social critique, which sought to interrogate the intractable nature of racism and White supremacy. Within this intellectual tradition, the works of W.E.B. Du Bois are of critical significance. Du…

The Soaring to Excellence staff development series of the College of DuPage provides the tools to empower library personnel in the workplace. Each teleconference in the series is supported by practical information, discussion questions, worksheets, and bibliographies. Students are provided with the opportunity to view and participate in three live…

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer c-Met inhibition could significantly enhance the radiosensitivity of DU145 cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The mechanisms of the radiosensitization effect of c-Met inhibition on DU145 cells were also presented in this paper. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer This is the first study demonstrating the effectiveness of c-Met inhibition on treating HRPC cells with radiotherapy. -- Abstract: Hormone-refractory prostate cancer shows substantial resistance to most conventional therapies including radiotherapy, constitutes a key impediment to curing patients with the disease. c-Met overexpression plays a key role in prostate cancer tumorigenesis and disease progression. Here, we demonstrate that c-Met inhibition by SU11274 could significantly suppress cell survival and proliferation as well as enhance the radiosensitivity of DU145 cells. The underlying mechanisms of the effects of SU11274 on DU145 cells may include the inhibition of c-Met signaling, depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential, impairment of DNA repair function, abrogation of cell cycle arrest, and enhancement of cell death. Our study is the first to show the effectiveness of combining c-Met inhibition with ionizing radiation to cure hormone-refractory prostate cancer.

This article aims to contribute to the discussion surrounding Manuela du Bois-Reymond's important "trendsetter learner" thesis and, in so doing, to join the wider debate about post-compulsory learning cultures. The article outlines the trendsetter learner thesis and then considers recent criticisms that it has attracted. While the author concurs…

The DuPont/Oberlin microfiltration technology is a physical separation process that removes solid particles from liquid wastes. The process can filter particles that are submicron or larger in diameter. Pretreatment, such as chemical additions, will be required if dissolved con...

This report evaluates the DuPont/Oberlin microfiltration technology’s ability to remove metals (present in soluble or insoluble form) and particulates from liquid wastes while producing a dry filter cake and a filtrate that meet applicable disposal requirements. This report also ...

Because of antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer potential, Salvia chorassanica Bunge (Lamiaceae) has been considered as a popular herb in Iranian traditional medicine. Previous studies have shown remarkable cytotoxic properties of the methanol, n-hexane and dichloromethane extract of S. chorassanica on human cervical cancer cells. To seek the therapeutic potentials of S. chorassanica, this study was undertaken to evaluate the cytotoxic activities of various extracts of this plant on human breast MCF-7 and prostate cancer DU 145 cells. The DU 145 cells were exposed to different concentrations of plant extracts (1-200 μg/ml). Cytotoxic activities were examined using alamarBlue® assay and apoptosis was assessed by acridine orange/propodium iodide double staining and evaluation of DNA fragmentation by flow cytometry. Our findings indicated that n-hexane and dichloromethane extracts had more cytotoxic activities against DU 145 and MCF-7 cell lines compared with other extracts (P<0.05). The acridine orange/propodium iodide staining showed apoptogenic properties of n-hexane and dichloromethane extracts which was consequently confirmed by flow cytometric histogram that exhibited an increase in sub-G1 peak in treated cells as compared with untreated cancer cell lines. Taken together, these observations demonstrated cytotoxic effects of S. chorassanica extracts on MCF-7 and DU 145 cell lines which is most likely exerted via apoptosis cell death. Therefore, further investigations on S. chorassanica extracts as potential chemotherapeutic agents are warranted. PMID:27051435

This thesis explores the suitability of the multi-layer perceptron (MLP) neural network for prediction of corn and soybean yield and for classification of nitrogen corn stressed vegetation. The results show while using a combination of vegetation and texture indices, and topographic data, we can successfully predict corn yield with MLP. The regression coefficient between observed and predicted yield for corn and soybean were respectively 92% and 43% for the middle season image only. This research also indicates that the information from an image is more important when it is acquired during the period of maximum crop biological activity. Thus, MLP developed on the middle season predicts the corn and soybean yield with respective R2 of 89% and 40%. The degree of relationship between the inputs and the outputs and the quality of the data are very important, because they determine the capabilities of the MLP. When the generalization capabilities of the MLP models were tested on a non-corrected crop yield dataset, the results drop to 45% and 36% for corn and soybean respectively. The MLP demonstrated also its capability to discriminate corn nitrogen status during the growing season. MLP models based on image spectral and textural indices reach a Kappa coefficient of 72% for middle season image and 81% for the combined multidate images. Image texture features also provide useful complementary information for the discrimination of different nitrogen stress levels. The best MLP for predicting corn nitrogen status was the one that integrates image features and topographic parameters. It outperforms the first one with an accuracy of 90% for middle season image and 95% for all two images. Evidence that topographic data are a critical discriminatory information source is both obvious and strong. In consequence, crop physiological status monitoring systems require taking into account the combined effects of soil background and canopy architecture. This thesis have highlighted

We used D-(U-11C)glucose to evaluate transport and metabolism of glucose in the brain in eight nondiabetic and six insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) subjects. IDDM subjects were treated by continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion. Blood glucose was regulated by a Biostator-controlled glucose infusion during a constant insulin infusion. D-(U-11C)-glucose was injected for positron emission tomography studies during normoglycemia as well as during moderate hypoglycemia (arterial plasma glucose 2.74 +/- 0.14 in nondiabetic and 2.80 +/- 0.26 mmol/l (means +/- SE) in IDDM subjects). Levels of free insulin were constant and similar in both groups. The tracer data were analyzed using a three-compartment model with a fixed correction for 11CO2 egression. During normoglycemia the influx rate constant (k1) and blood-brain glucose flux did not differ between the two groups. During hypoglycemia k1 increased significantly and similarly in both groups (from 0.061 +/- 0.007 to 0.090 +/- 0.006 in nondiabetic and from 0.061 +/- 0.006 to 0.093 +/- 0.013 ml.g-1.min-1 in IDDM subjects). During normoglycemia the tracer-calculated metabolism of glucose was higher in the whole brain in the nondiabetic than in the diabetic subjects (22.0 +/- 1.9 vs. 15.6 +/- 1.1 mumol.100 g-1.min-1, P less than 0.01). During hypoglycemia tracer-calculated metabolism was decreased by 40% in nondiabetic subjects and by 28% in diabetic subjects. The results indicate that uptake of glucose is normal, but some aspect of glucose metabolism is abnormal in a group of well-controlled IDDM subjects.

Water-level data suggest that (1) little variation in annual pumpage between 1971 and 1980 from the Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer produced generally stable water levels in that aquifer, (2) decreased annual pumpage from the Mount Simon-Hinckley aquifer from 1971 to 1980 caused water levels in that aquifer to rise, and (3) a greater seasonal component of pumpage from the Mount Simon-Hinckley aquifer than from the Prairie du Chien-Jordan produced larger and more widespread seasonal water-level declines in the Mount Simon-Hinckley than in the Prairie du Chien-Jordan, particularly during dry years.

Several comets will be approached by space probes during the two next decades. The presence of a fragment of the nucleus in the coma is a real danger. We have estimated the probability of presence of a boulder in the inner coma, using a model for the dynamics of fragments. Specific recommandations are deduced in order to reduce the risk of a collision.

Two South Australian canyons, one shelf-incising (du Couedic) and one slope-limited (Bonney) were compared for macrofaunal patterns on the shelf and slope that spanned three water masses. It was hypothesized that community structure would (H1) significantly differ by water mass, (H2) show significant regional differences and (H3) differ significantly between interior and exterior of each canyon. Five hundred and thirty-one species of macrofauna ≥1 mm were captured at 27 stations situated in depth stratified transects inside and outside the canyons from 100 to1500 m depth. The macrofauna showed a positive relationship to depth in abundance, biomass, species richness and community composition while taxonomic distinctness and evenness remained high at all depths. Biotic variation on the shelf was best defined by variation in bottom water primary production while sediment characteristics and bottom water oxygen, temperature and nutrients defined biotic variation at greater depth. Community structure differed significantly (p<0.01) among the three water masses (shelf-flowing South Australian current, upper slope Flinders current and lower slope Antarctic Intermediate Water) (H1). Although community differences between the du Couedic and Bonney regions were marginally above significance at p = 0.05 (H2), over half of the species captured were unique to each region. This supports the evidence from fish and megafaunal distributions that the du Couedic and Bonney areas are in different bioregions. Overall, the canyon interiors were not significantly different in community composition from the exterior (H3). However, both canyons had higher abundance and/or biomass, increased species dominance, different species composition and coarser sediments near the canyon heads compared to outside the canyons at the same depth (500 m), suggestive of heightened currents within the canyons that influence community composition there. At 1000–1500 m, the canyon interiors were

Cri-du-chat is a contiguous gene syndrome associated with deletions in the short arm of chromosome 5 (chr 5). Chr 5p-specific markers have been used to define two critical regions: a larynx malformation region, located at 5p15.3, and a region responsible for the remaining clinical features of the syndrome, which maps to 5p15.2. Thirty cosmids that map to this latter region have been isolated from the LANL chr 5-specific library using 5 STSs. More recently, we have constructed a YAC contig of the region which encompasses 2-3 Mb. The 30 framework cosmids were used in a direct selection with cDNAs from placenta, activated T-cells and cerebellum to isolate an initial set of expressed sequences from this region. Since no genes, to date, have been isolated or localized within the cri-du-chat deletion, a cosmid containing a control reporter gene (ANX6) was used to monitor enrichment. ANX6 cDNAs were enriched by several thousand-fold in the selected cDNAs. A total of nine non overlapping cDNA fragments were obtained from the cDNA pools. These have been ordered within the YAC contig, map to 5 discrete cosmid sets in the critical region and thus conservatively represent five discrete transcription units. The DNA sequences of these fragments are novel by sequence database comparisons. PCR primers were constructed and were used to confirm gene placements in the YAC contig, as well as to investigate the expression profile of these genes in several different tissues and cell types. In one case, these primer sets enabled two of the nine fragments to be linked into a larger cDNA. The nine cDNAs showed various patterns of differential expression in a panel of tissues. These expressed sequences represent the first genes isolated within the cri-du-chat critical region and represent the initial steps in the derivation of a comprehensive inventory and expression profile of the estimated 100 genes that may reside in this region.

Two South Australian canyons, one shelf-incising (du Couedic) and one slope-limited (Bonney) were compared for macrofaunal patterns on the shelf and slope that spanned three water masses. It was hypothesized that community structure would (H1) significantly differ by water mass, (H2) show significant regional differences and (H3) differ significantly between interior and exterior of each canyon. Five hundred and thirty-one species of macrofauna ≥ 1 mm were captured at 27 stations situated in depth stratified transects inside and outside the canyons from 100 to 1500 m depth. The macrofauna showed a positive relationship to depth in abundance, biomass, species richness and community composition while taxonomic distinctness and evenness remained high at all depths. Biotic variation on the shelf was best defined by variation in bottom water primary production while sediment characteristics and bottom water oxygen, temperature and nutrients defined biotic variation at greater depth. Community structure differed significantly (p<0.01) among the three water masses (shelf-flowing South Australian current, upper slope Flinders current and lower slope Antarctic Intermediate Water) (H1). Although community differences between the du Couedic and Bonney regions were marginally above significance at p = 0.05 (H2), over half of the species captured were unique to each region. This supports the evidence from fish and megafaunal distributions that the du Couedic and Bonney areas are in different bioregions. Overall, the canyon interiors were not significantly different in community composition from the exterior (H3). However, both canyons had higher abundance and/or biomass, increased species dominance, different species composition and coarser sediments near the canyon heads compared to outside the canyons at the same depth (500 m), suggestive of heightened currents within the canyons that influence community composition there. At 1000-1500 m, the canyon interiors were

The « Bornes du Diable » cliff is located in the Val de Bagnes in south western Valais. In September 2008, a block of about 2000 m3 has fallen down causing damages to a small alpine road. This event shows the potential instability of the whole cliff which represents a larger volume. Indeed it measures 160 m high and about 100 m width. Several back-cracks are visible hundred meters back to the actual crest. The road, the reservoir of Mauvoisin and the related dam could be reached by the rockfalls. The goal of this study is to characterize the structural settings and to quantify the previous displacements that occurred in the area in order to assess the present day stability. Structural, geomorphological and geomechanical characterization have been carried by field investigations and completed by orthophotos and digital elevation model analysis. The unstable area was scanned in fall 2009 using terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) in order to have a very detailed topography and to perform a structural analysis using the home made software Coltop3D. Differential GPS campaign was initiated in July 2009 and will be continued for the next years to assess the potential movement affecting the entire area. Moreover, a photogrammetric analysis of two aerial photographs of 1979 and 2000 is performed to identify if previous movements occurred in the area. The potential unstable volume is estimated performing the Sloping Local Base Level method and geometrical analysis. Finally a model is performed with the UDEC™ and FLAC® softwares. The movement, the discontinuity sets, the rockfall mechanisms and the triggering factors are analyzed to define the deep structures and the mechanisms of a potential complete collapse. The preliminary results indicate an important rock fracturing in the area of the instability. The persistence schistosity and the highly weathered rock surface indicating a fair-poor rock mass quality. TLS point cloud analysis using Coltop3D highlights six

Queue planning of observation and service observing are generally seen as specific to large, world-class, astronomical observatories that draw proposal from a large community. One of the common grievance, justified or not, against queue planning and service observing is the fear of training a generation of astronomers without hands-on observing experience. At the Observatoire du Mont-Mégantic (OMM) 1.6-m telescope, we are developing a student-run service observing program. Queue planning and service observing are used as training tools to expose students to a variety of scientific project and instruments beyond what they would normally use for their own research project. The queue mode at the OMM specifically targets relatively shallow observations that can be completed in less than a few hours and are too short to justify a multi-night classical observing run.

With the upcoming construction of Extremely Large Telescopes, several existing technologies are being pushed beyond their performance limit and it becomes essential to develop and evaluate new alternatives. The "Observatoire du Mont Mégantic" (OMM) hosts a telescope having a 1.6-meter diameter primary. The OMM telescope is known to be an excellent location to develop and test precursor instruments which are then upscaled to larger telescopes (ex. SPIOMM which led to SITELLE at the CFHT). We present a specifically designed focal plane box for the OMM which will allow to evaluate, directly on-sky, the performance of a number of next generation adaptive optics related technologies The system will able us to compare the performance of several new wavefront sensors in contrast with the current standard, the Shack-Hartman wavefront sensor.

The following data have been abstracted on all persons ever screened for bladder cancer and on all persons known to have developed bladder cancer among the Chambers Works employees, regardless of whether they had been screened: complete work histories, including dates of employment by job title and location for the duration of employment by Du Pont; medical histories, including the dates and results of every urinary cytological reading and urinary blood test, and the dates and type of every physical examination; and vital status information, including data from death certificates. For each bladder cancer case, detailed clinical histories were abstracted to provide information concerning signs or symptoms of bladder cancer, procedures performed, findings, and recommendations. Pathological information includes type, grade, stage, evidence of multicentricity, metastatic sites, and second primary sites of malignancy. Data are being edited and subjected to preliminary analysis.

Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) is poorly reported in cri du chat syndrome (CDCS) (OMIM #123450), a genetic disease that causes developmental delay and global growth retardation. The objective was to determine the nutritional status at different ages in children with CDCS and factors associated with PEM. A questionnaire focused on growth and nutritional care was sent to 190 families. Among 36 analyzable questionnaires, growth and nutritional indices compatible with PEM occurred in 47% of patients: 19% before 6 months of age, 24% between 6-12 months and 34% after 12 months. Eight patients received enteral feeding. Speech therapy for swallowing education was performed more often in malnourished children (63% vs. 22%, P

This study is the first attempt to assess systematically the cognitive functioning in children diagnosed with typical cri du chat syndrome (CDCS) using neuropsychological test measures. Twenty-six children aged between 6 years 4 months and 15 years 5 months (mean 8 years 3 months) completed a battery of tasks measuring IQ level, receptive and expressive language skills, and articulation. Twenty-four children were in the severe learning-disability range with no specific verbal or performance profile. Using more finely tuned measures of cognition, however, a clear discrepancy in the pattern of language functioning was found with better receptive than expressive language skills. One implication of these findings is that parents and professionals should be more optimistic about the capacities of children with CDCS to understand more complex verbal commands than their expressive language skills would suggest. PMID:10355811

Accurate descriptions of laser power coupling to the plasma and electron energy transport are crucial for designing shock-ignition targets and assessing their robustness (in particular with regard to laser and positioning errors). To this purpose, the 2D DUED laser fusion code has been improved with the inclusion of a 3D laser ray-tracing scheme and a model for non-local electron transport. 2D simulations with the upgraded code are presented; the dependence of the fusion yield vs target displacement is studied. Two different irradiation configurations are considered.

A Three-dimensional, finite-difference, groundwater flow model of the Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer was developed to assess the movement of coal-tar derivatives from a coal-tar distillation and wood-preserving plant in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. The model was calibrated for steady-state and transient conditions. Sensitivity testing indicated that leakage to the upper model layer and the vertical hydraulic conductivity of the basal confining unit of the St. Peter were the most sensitive model hydrologic properties. Model simulations indicated that water introduced into the aquifer through wells open to several aquifers would raise the potentiometric surface of the Prairie du Chien-Jordan by as much as 3 ft in the area of the former plant. Other simulations suggested that withdrawal from certain upgradient wells may have altered local hydraulic gradients. These factors contributed to the potential for movement of contaminants from the area of the former plant to wells. Simulations of a proposed gradient-control plan indicate that the actions would be effective in limiting the expansion of the contaminated volume. These simulations also show, however, that control of discharge from all wells in the area will be important to the overall effectiveness of the plan. (USGS)

Jean Baptiste Point DuSable High School is a public school in inner city Chicago with a 100% African American student population, over 90% of which live below the poverty limit. In 1995, in partnership with the University of Chicago they applied to NASA's IDEAS program for seed money to bring the Internet to the school via a dedicated T1 connection. We will present the detailed successes and failures of this project. While several aspects did not work out as well as expected, in the long term the project did provide important guidance for a more sucessful involvement in 12 additional public schools in the same social situation. In these more recent involvements we have been able to provide more consistent and continued support than was possible at DuSable High School.

The present work compares and experimentally validates the results coming out from the following three Lower Hybrid (LH) coupling codes: Brambilla code (M. Brambilla), GRILL3D-U (Mikhail Irzak, A. F. Ioffe Physico-Technical Institute, Russia) and TOPLHA (Politecnico di Torino, Italy). The conventional grill antenna, operating in FTU in different scenarios, is used as benchmark. The validation with experimental data is carried out with respect to the average reflection coefficients at the input of a row of the grill, considering two different phasings between adjacent waveguides: -90 ° and -75 °. A comparison between calculated power spectra is also presented. Good agreement can be observed for all the simulated plasma profiles and waveguide phasings between experimental data and codes, in particular for the most recent numerical tools, namely GRILL3D-U and TOPLHA.

The in vitro metabolism of DuP 753, a novel nonpeptide angiotensin II receptor antagonist, has been investigated in incubations with liver slice preparations from rats, monkeys and humans. Metabolites were identified by HPLC/MS, FAB/MS, Cl/MS, and/or 1H NMR. In the rat, the primary route of metabolism was oxidative, leading to either monohydroxylated or oxidized (carboxylic acid) metabolites, whereas in monkeys, glucuronidation of the tetrazole moiety predominated. An equal mixture of both oxidized and glucuronic acid-conjugated metabolites was isolated from incubations with human liver slices. All metabolites were tested in an in vitro assay to determine their activity as angiotensin II receptor antagonists. The monohydroxylated products and glucuronic acid conjugates were determined to be much less active than DuP 753. Biotransformation to the carboxylic acid, however, was shown to dramatically increase the activity of this agent. The in vivo duration of action of DuP 753 has been observed to be much longer in the rat than in the monkey. This may be explained, at least in part, by these in vitro metabolism studies. The predominance of glucuronidation observed in incubations with monkey liver slices would yield metabolites with diminished activity and might be expected to shorten the in vivo duration of DuP 753 in that species. The oxidative conversion to the carboxylic acid metabolite, along with the low level of glucuronidation observed in incubations with rat liver slices, may be responsible for the prolonged duration observed in vivo in the rat. PMID:1352222

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with DuPage County Stormwater Management Division, maintains a USGS database of hourly meteorologic and hydrologic data for use in a near real-time streamflow simulation system, which assists in the management and operation of reservoirs and other flood-control structures in the Salt Creek watershed in DuPage County, Illinois. Most of the precipitation data are collected from a tipping-bucket rain-gage network located in and near DuPage County. The other meteorologic data (wind speed, solar radiation, air temperature, and dewpoint temperature) are collected at Argonne National Laboratory in Argonne, Ill. Potential evapotranspiration is computed from the meteorologic data. The hydrologic data (discharge and stage) are collected at USGS streamflow-gaging stations in DuPage County. These data are stored in a Watershed Data Management (WDM) database. An earlier report describes in detail the WDM database development including the processing of data from January 1, 1997, through September 30, 2004, in SEP04.WDM database. SEP04.WDM is updated with the appended data from October 1, 2004, through September 30, 2011, water years 2005–11 and renamed as SEP11.WDM. This report details the processing of meteorologic and hydrologic data in SEP11.WDM. This report provides a record of snow affected periods and the data used to fill missing-record periods for each precipitation site during water years 2005–11. The meteorologic data filling methods are described in detail in Over and others (2010), and an update is provided in this report.

Capsaicin is the major pungent component of the hot chili peppers of the genus Capsicum, which are consumed worldwide as a food additive. More recently, the selective action of capsaicin against cancer cells has been reported. Capsaicin was found to induce apoptosis and inhibit proliferation of a wide range of cancer cells in vitro, whereas being inactive against normal cells. As data on capsaicin-induced genotoxicity are limited and the effects of capsaicin against human lung A549 and DU145 prostate cancer cells were not explored in detail, we were interested in determining whether capsaicin-associated genotoxicity may also provoke A549 and DU145 cell death. Capsaicin-induced decrease in metabolic activity and cell proliferation, and changes in the cell cycle were limited to high concentrations used (≥ 100 μM), whereas, at lower concentrations, capsaicin stimulated both DNA double strand breaks and micronuclei production. Capsaicin was unable to provoke apoptotic cell death when used up to 250 μM concentrations. Capsaicin induced oxidative stress, but was ineffective in provoking the dissipation of the mitochondrial inner transmembrane potential. A different magnitude of p53 binding protein 1 (53BP1) recruitment contributed to diverse capsaicin-induced genotoxic effects in DU145 and A549 cells. Capsaicin was also found to be a DNA hypermethylating agent in A549 cells. In summary, we have shown that genotoxic effects of capsaicin may contribute to limited susceptibility of DU145 and A549 cancer cells to apoptosis in vitro, which may question the usefulness of capsaicin-based anticancer therapy, at least in a case of lung and prostate cancer. PMID:25813723

An aquifer test of the Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer was conducted in the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community located southwest of the Twin Cities metropolitan area. A well open to the Jordan Sandstone was pumped at 600 gallons per minute for 57 hours. Drawdown was monitored in three observation wells located near the pumped well. These wells were open to: (1) the Jordan Sandstone, the principal unit of the aquifer; (2) the Prairie du Chien Group, a secondary, carbonate-rock unit of the aquifer; and (3) a confined, glacial-drift sand aquifer. Test results indicate that the Jordan Sandstone had a transmissivity of 6,267 ft2/d, a storativity of 1.193 x 10-4, a horizontal hydraulic conductivity of 31 ft/d based on a saturated thickness of 204 ft, and a ratio of vertical to horizontal hydraulic conductivity of 5.29 x 10-4. The pumped well was hydraulically connected to the Prairie du Chien Group observation well. No drawdown was observed in the observation well completed in the confined, glacial-drift sand aquifer; thus, a hydraulic connection of this observation well to the pumped well was not indicated.

Duck Tembusu virus (DTMUV) is a newly emerging pathogenic flavivirus that has caused massive economic losses to the duck industry in China. In the current study, a virulent strain of DTMUV, designated Du/CH/LSD/110128, was isolated from the livers of diseased ducks and attenuated by serial passage in embryonated chicken eggs. The virus was partially attenuated after 50 and 70 passages and was fully attenuated after 90 passages, based on mortality and morbidity rates and viral loads in inoculated ducklings. Fourteen amino acid substitutions were observed in the capsid, prM, envelope, NS1, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, and NS5 proteins of the fully attenuated strain of Du/CH/LSD/110128, which might be responsible for the observed changes in replication and pathogenicity. A 72-nucleotide deletion was also observed in the 3′ untranslated region of the virus after 30 passages. The fully attenuated virus retained the immunogenicity of the parental strain, providing effective protection to challenge with virulent Du/CH/LSD/110128, and may represent a suitable candidate as a vaccine strain against DTMUV infection in ducks. Our results also lay the foundation for future studies on the replication and pathogenic mechanisms of DTMUV. PMID:24872514

The Prairie du Chien dredge material site contains about 100,000 cubic meters of material dredged from the East Channel of the Mississippi Riverin1976. Previous studies in that area suggested a rich molluscan fauna, but most studies were only qualitative or simply observations. Our study of this material was designed to determine the density and diversity of molluscan fauna, to assess changes in the fauna, to identify endemic species previously unreported, and to evaluate the status of the endangered Lampsilis higginsi. Ten cubic meters of dredge material were sieved to recover shells. Molluscan fauna at the site contained38 species of naiades and up to 1,737 identifiable valves per cubic meter. The endangered L. higginsi ranked18th In occurrence, accounted for only 0.52% of the identifiable shells, and averaged about three valves per cubic meter. From a total of 813 kg of naiades and gastropods, 6,339 naiad valves were identified. Five naiad species were collected at the site for the first time, and Eploblasma triquetra had not been reported previously in the Prairie du Chien area. Although the molluscan fauna has changed, the East Channel at Prairie du Chien is obviously suitable for L. higginsi.

SIRT1, which belongs to the family of type III histone deacetylase, is implicated in diverse cellular processes. We have determined the expression levels of SIRT1 in human prostate cancer cell lines and have examined the roles of SIRT1 in cell growth and chemoresistance. SIRT1 expression was markedly up-regulated in androgen-refractory PC3 and DU145 cells compared with androgen-sensitive LNCaP cells and its expression level was correlated with cell growth in PC3 cells. Treatment with a SIRT1 inhibitor, sirtinol, inhibited cell growth and increased sensitivity to camptothecin and cisplatin. Silencing of SIRT1 expression by siRNA also suppressed cell proliferation and reduced camptothecin resistance in PC3 cells, mimicking the chemosensitizing effect caused by sirtinol. Also in DU145 cells, sirtinol treatment enhanced sensitivity to camptothecin and cisplatin. These results suggest that up-regulation of SIRT1 expression may play an important role in promoting cell growth and chemoresistance in androgen-refractory PC3 and DU145 cells.

Marine sand dunes and sandbanks are mainly observed in continental tidal shelves (North Sea, South China Sea, North Atlantic America) and may be highly dynamic (for example up to 75 m/y in the Marsdiep inlet). So they may pose a potential risk to offshore installations and shipping. Multitemporal mapping of sandwaves, necessary to mitigate this hazard, is complicated by their dynamic character, which is still poorly understood especially in the offshore domain. In consequence, these structures are often defined as moribund at depths greater than 30 meters. The aim of this investigation is to study evolution of deeper (110 meters) complex set of sand bedforms : "Banc du Four" located in the Iroise Sea. The study area is exposed to strong tidal currents and storm waves at the junction of the Northeast Atlantic Ocean and the Western English Channel, conditions favorable to sediment dynamics. The bathymetric data, which form the basis of this study, are two Digital Terrain Modeling's (DTM's) derived from MultiBeam Echosounder (MBES) surveys : "Pourquoi-Pas?" oceanographic research vessel (R/V) in February 2009 (5 meters resolution DTM) and R/V "Albert Lucas" in August 2010 (2 meters resolution DTM). Sandwave parameters (water depth, shape, wavelength, height, symmetry index, ...) have been derived from the 2009 bathymetric data. The Banc du Four is characterized by a large sandbank (45 meters height and 2 km width) flanked by dune fields. The morphological characteristics of the dunes vary greatly (range 30 to 110 meters depth, 40 meters maximal height, 600 meters maximal width, symmetrical to asymmetrical, ...). However, this complexity can be explained by the involved sandwave dynamic (range 0 to 30 meters per year migration velocity). Spatial correlation method, applied on the two DTM's, are used to measure the migration rate. The high migration rates for deeper giant dunes bring to light the dynamic sandwave existence at depths exceeding 30-40 meters, contrary to

Androgen signaling is critical in prostate cancer development and progression. The co-existence of hormone responsive and irresponsive cells due to functional androgen receptor (AR) in prostate gland is the major obstacle in prostate cancer therapy models. Targeting aberrant cell cycle by novel cell cycle blocking agents is a promising strategy to treat various types of malignancies. Purvalanol and roscovitine are cyclin dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors able to activate apoptotic cell death by inducing cell cycle arrest at G1/S and G2/M phases in cancer cells. Polyamines are unique cationic amine derivatives involved in the regulation of cell proliferation. Although the elevated intracellular level of polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) is typical for prostate gland, abnormal regulation of polyamine metabolism might result in rapid cell proliferation and, thus in prostate cancer progression. Therefore, treatment with drug-induced depletion of intracellular polyamine levels through the activated polyamine catabolism is critical to achieve successful strategies for prostate cancer. In this study we aimed to investigate the apoptotic efficiency of CDK inhibitors in three prostate cancer cell lines (LNCaP, DU145 and PC3), showing different AR expression profile. We found that both purvalanol and roscovitine were able to induce apoptosis at moderate cytotoxic concentrations by decreasing mitochondria membrane potential. The apoptotic effect of both CDK inhibitors was due to activation of caspases by modulating Bcl-2 family members. The efficiency of drugs was quite similar on the three prostate cell lines used in this study. However, DU145 cells were found the least sensitive against CDK inhibitors while purvalanol was more potent than roscovitine. Similarly to classical chemotherapeutic agents, both drugs could up-regulate polyamine catabolic enzymes (SSAT, SMO and PAO) in cell type dependent manner. Transient silencing of SSAT and/or inhibition of PAO

Petroleum exploration has strongly contributed to the knowledge of the post-Hercynian structural history of the Golfe du Lion. It shows three stages: (1) Pyrenean orogenesis which started in the Late Cretaceous and culminated during the Eocene (40-75 Ma), (2) Oligocene rifting associated with the oceanic accretion of the Provencal basin, and (3) post-Messinian deformations due to salt tectonics. Pyrenean deformation of the area seems to have been controlled by its Hercynian inheritance: the major transcurrent faults of the Cevenole belt, Nimes, and the Durance. They favored displacement of the deformation in a northeasterly direction along the fault corridors, inside which the overthrust units were put into place. These east-west-oriented structures show northward vergence. The Pyrenean axial zone in this downthrown part of the belt consist of progressively more northerly units offset by transverse faults. The Oligocene rifting is represented by a series of horsts and deeply subsiding grabens linked to preexisting major faults. The horst are deeply eroded and the Mesozoic carbonates are karstified. The extension of the Messinian evaporitic deposits known throughout the Mediterranean basin is located north of the shallower deep-water well. The gravitational deformation of the salt is expressed by a large number of listric faults which originate in the salt bodies. The sedimentary sequence ends with a thick discordant, erosional, undeformed Pliocene-Quaternary series.

Cri-du-chat syndrome is a chromosomal disorder caused by a deletion of the short arm of chromosome 5. The disease severity, levels of intellectual and developmental delay, and patient prognosis have been related to the size and position of the deletion. Aiming to establish genotype-phenotype correlations, we applied array-CGH to evaluate six patients carrying cytogenetically detected deletions of the short arm of chromosome 5 who were followed at a genetics community service. The patients' cytogenetic and clinical profiles were reevaluated. A database review was performed to predict additional genes and regulatory elements responsible for the characteristic phenotypic and behavioral traits of this disorder. Array-CGH analysis allowed for delineation of the terminal deletions, which ranged in size from approximately 11.2 Mb to 28.6 Mb, with breakpoints from 5p15.2 to 5p13. An additional dup(8)(p23) (3.5 Mb), considered to be a benign copy number variation, was also observed in one patient. The correlation coefficient value (ρ = 0.13) calculated indicated the presence of a weak relationship between developmental delay and deletion size. Genetic background, family history, epigenetic factors, quantitative trait locus polymorphisms, and environmental factors may also affect patient phenotype and must be taken into account in genotype-phenotype correlations. PMID:27144168

Cri-du-chat syndrome is a chromosomal disorder caused by a deletion of the short arm of chromosome 5. The disease severity, levels of intellectual and developmental delay, and patient prognosis have been related to the size and position of the deletion. Aiming to establish genotype-phenotype correlations, we applied array-CGH to evaluate six patients carrying cytogenetically detected deletions of the short arm of chromosome 5 who were followed at a genetics community service. The patients' cytogenetic and clinical profiles were reevaluated. A database review was performed to predict additional genes and regulatory elements responsible for the characteristic phenotypic and behavioral traits of this disorder. Array-CGH analysis allowed for delineation of the terminal deletions, which ranged in size from approximately 11.2 Mb to 28.6 Mb, with breakpoints from 5p15.2 to 5p13. An additional dup(8)(p23) (3.5 Mb), considered to be a benign copy number variation, was also observed in one patient. The correlation coefficient value (ρ = 0.13) calculated indicated the presence of a weak relationship between developmental delay and deletion size. Genetic background, family history, epigenetic factors, quantitative trait locus polymorphisms, and environmental factors may also affect patient phenotype and must be taken into account in genotype-phenotype correlations. PMID:27144168

Tree nuts are a widely consumed food. Although enjoyed safely by most individuals, allergic reactions to tree nuts, including almond, are not uncommon. Almond prunin (Pru du 6), an 11S globulin (legumin), is an abundant nut seed protein and a major allergen. Conformational epitope mapping studies of prunin have been performed with a murine monoclonal antibody (mAb) 4C10. This mAb reacts with non-reduced but not reduced prunin in immunoblotting assays, indicating the recognition of a conformational epitope. 4C10 competes with patient IgE, as assessed by ELISA, indicating clinical significance of the epitope. To characterize the 4C10 epitope, hydrogen/deuterium exchange (HDX) monitored by 14.5 T Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (MS) was performed on the native prunin-4C10 complex and on uncomplexed native prunin. Several epitope candidate peptides that differ in deuterium uptake between the complexed and uncomplexed forms were identified. The epitope was further mapped by analyzing chimeric molecules incorporating segments of the homologous soybean allergen, Gly m 6, in immunoassays. These data indicate that the 4C10 epitope overlaps with a subset of patient IgE binding epitopes on almond prunin and further supports HDX-MS as a valid technique for mapping conformational epitopes. PMID:23498967

Norcantharidin (NCTD), a demethylated analog of cantharidin derived from blister beetles, has attracted considerable attentions in recent years due to their definitely toxic properties and the noteworthy advantages in stimulating bone marrow and increasing the peripheral leukocytes. Hence, it is worth studying the anti-tumor effect of NCTD on human prostate cancer cells DU145. It was found that after the treatment of NCTD with different concentrations (25-100 μM), the cell proliferation was significantly inhibited, which led to the appearance of micronucleus (MN). Moreover, the cells could be killed in a dose-/time-dependent manner along with the reduction of PCNA (proliferating cell nuclear antigen) expression, destruction of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), down-regulation of MnSOD, induction of ROS, depletion of ATP, and activation of AMPK (Adenosine 5'-monophosphate -activated protein kinase) . In addition, a remarkable release of cytochrome c was found in the cells exposed to 100 μM NCTD and exogenous SOD-PEG could eliminate the generation of NCTD-induced MN. In conclusion, our studies indicated that NCTD could induce the collapse of MMP and mitochondria dysfunction. Accumulation of intercellular ROS could eventually switch on the apoptotic pathway by causing DNA damage and depleting ATP. PMID:24367681

We report an 11-year-old girl for whom the diagnosis of cri du chat syndrome (CdCS) was made during a genetic investigation of childhood apraxia of speech. The patient presented with the classic chromosome 5 short arm deletion found in CdCS. The microdeletion, characterised using aCGH (array Comparative Genomic Hybridisation), was 12.85 Mb, overlapping the 5p15.2 and 5p15.3 critical regions. CdCS is typically associated with severe mental retardation while this patient had normal intellectual performance, confirmed by normal results from categorisation tasks. This mild phenotype was assessed using a comprehensive cognitive battery. Language evaluation showed normal receptive vocabulary scores, in contrast with obvious oro-facial dyspraxia. Disabled fine motor skills were confirmed as well as weak visuo-spatial reasoning abilities. In conclusion, fine cognitive assessment may be worthwhile for patients with CdCS since good intellectual functioning may be masked by severe speech and gestural dyspraxia, thus requiring specific teaching and rehabilitation strategies. PMID:22510527

Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) often contain significant levels of potentially toxic elements, including arsenic. Niu Huang Jie Du Pian pills were analyzed to determine the concentration, bioaccessibility (arsenic fraction soluble in the human gastrointestinal system) and chemical form (speciation) of arsenic. Arsenic excretion in urine (including speciation) and facial hair were studied after a one-time ingestion. The pills contained arsenic in the form of realgar, and although the total arsenic that was present in a single pill was high (28 mg), the low bioaccessibility of this form of arsenic predicted that only 4% of it was available for absorption into the bloodstream (1 mg of arsenic per pill). The species of arsenic that were solubilized were inorganic arsenate (As(V)) and arsenite (As(III)) but DMAA and MMAA were detected in urine. Two urinary arsenic excretion peaks were observed: an initial peak several (4-8) hours after ingestion corresponding to the excretion of predominantly As(III), and a larger peak at 14 h corresponding predominantly to DMAA and MMAA. No methylated As(III) species were observed. Facial hair analysis revealed that arsenic concentrations did not increase significantly as a result of the ingestion. Arsenic is incompletely soluble under human gastrointestinal conditions, and is metabolized from the inorganic to organic forms found in urine. Bioaccessible arsenic is comparable to the quantity excreted. Facial hair as a bio-indicator should be further tested.

The DOE, after an independent review, has adopted an Environmental Assessment (EA) prepared by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) which evaluates use of an Integrated Wildlife Damage Management approach at Argonne National Laboratory-East (ANL-E) in DuPage County, Illinois (April 1995). In 1994, the USDA issued a programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that covers nationwide animal damage control activities. The EA for Management of Wildlife Causing Damage at ANL-E tiers off this programmatic EIS. The USDA wrote the EA as a result of DOE`s request to USDA to prepare and implement a comprehensive Wildlife Management Damage Plan; the USDA has authority for animal damage control under the Animal Damage Control Act of 1931, as amended, and the Rural Development, Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 1988. DOE has determined, based on the analysis in the EA, that the proposed action does not constitute a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment within the meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Therefore, the preparation of an EIS is not required. This report contains the Environmental Assessment, as well as the Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).

We report on a high-resolution transmission-type curved crystal spectrometer based on the modified DuMond slit geometry. The spectrometer was developed at the University of Fribourg for the study of photoinduced X-ray spectra. K and L X-ray transitions with energies above about 10 keV can be measured with an instrumental resolution comparable to their natural linewidths. Construction details and operational characteristics of the spectrometer are presented. The variation of the energy resolution as a function of the focal distance and diffraction order is discussed. The high sensitivity of the spectrometer is demonstrated via the 2s-1s dipole-forbidden X-ray transition of Gd which could be observed despite its extremely low intensity. The precision of the instrument is illustrated by comparing the sum of the energies of the Au K–L{sub 2} and L{sub 2}–M{sub 3} cascading transitions with the energy of the crossover K–M{sub 3} transition as well as by considering the energy differences of the Gd Kα{sub 1} X-ray line measured at five different diffraction orders. Finally, to demonstrate the versatility of the spectrometer, it is shown that the latter can also be used for in-house extended X-ray absorption fine structure measurements.

At the molecular level, it is acknowledged that a TCM formula is often a complex system, which challenges researchers to fully understand its underlying pharmacological action. However, module detection technique developed from complex network provides new insight into systematic investigation of the mode of action of a TCM formula from the molecule perspective. We here proposed a computational approach integrating the module detection technique into a 2-class heterogeneous network (2-HN) which models the complex pharmacological system of a TCM formula. This approach takes three steps: construction of a 2-HN, identification of primary pharmacological units, and pathway analysis. We employed this approach to study Shu-feng-jie-du (SHU) formula, which aimed at discovering its molecular mechanism in defending against influenza infection. Actually, four primary pharmacological units were identified from the 2-HN for SHU formula and further analysis revealed numbers of biological pathways modulated by the four pharmacological units. 24 out of 40 enriched pathways that were ranked in top 10 corresponding to each of the four pharmacological units were found to be involved in the process of influenza infection. Therefore, this approach is capable of uncovering the mode of action underlying a TCM formula via module analysis. PMID:24376467

The Lamoreux Potential Evapotranspiration (LXPET) Program computes potential evapotranspiration (PET) using inputs from four different meteorological sources: temperature, dewpoint, wind speed, and solar radiation. PET and the same four meteorological inputs are used with precipitation data in the Hydrological Simulation Program-Fortran (HSPF) to simulate streamflow in the Salt Creek watershed, DuPage County, Illinois. Streamflows from HSPF are routed with the Full Equations (FEQ) model to determine water-surface elevations. Consequently, variations in meteorological inputs have potential to propagate through many calculations. Sensitivity of PET to variation was simulated by increasing the meteorological input values by 20, 40, and 60 percent and evaluating the change in the calculated PET. Increases in temperatures produced the greatest percent changes, followed by increases in solar radiation, dewpoint, and then wind speed. Additional sensitivity of PET was considered for shifts in input temperatures and dewpoints by absolute differences of ?10, ?20, and ?30 degrees Fahrenheit (degF). Again, changes in input temperatures produced the greatest differences in PET. Sensitivity of streamflow simulated by HSPF was evaluated for 20-percent increases in meteorological inputs. These simulations showed that increases in temperature produced the greatest change in flow. Finally, peak water-surface elevations for nine storm events were compared among unmodified meteorological inputs and inputs with values predicted 6, 24, and 48 hours preceding the simulated peak. Results of this study can be applied to determine how errors specific to a hydrologic system will affect computations of system streamflow and water-surface elevations.

In the present study, we investigated the effects of motesanib (AMG 706), a multikinase inhibitor alone and in combination with DuP-697, an irreversible selective inhibitor of COX-2, on cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and apoptosis induction in a human colorectal cancer cell line (HT29). Real time cell analysis (RTCA, Xcelligence system) was used to determine the effects on colorectal cancer cell proliferation. Apoptosis was assessed with annexin V staining and angiogenesis was determined with chorioallantoic membrane model. We found that motesanib alone exerted antiproliferative, antiangiogenic and apoptotic effects on HT29 colorectal cancer cells. Combination with DUP-697 increased the antiproliferative, antiangiogenic and apoptotic effects. Results of this study indicate that motesanib may be a good choice in treatment of colorectal tumors. In addition, the increased effects of combination of motesanib with DuP-697 raise the possibility of using lower doses of these drugs and therefore avoid/minimize the dose-dependent side effects generally observed. PMID:27039732

A multilaboratory study was conducted to evaluate the ability of the DuPont BAX System Real-Time PCR Assay for Salmonella to detect the target species in a variety of foods and environmental surfaces. Internal validation studies were performed by DuPont Nutrition & Health on 24 different sample types to demonstrate the reliability of the test method among a wide variety of sample types. Two of these matrixes-pork and turkey frankfurters and pasteurized, not-from-concentrate orange juice without pulp-were each evaluated in 14 independent laboratories as part of the collaborative study to demonstrate repeatability and reproducibility of the internal laboratory results independent of the end user. Frankfurter samples were evaluated against the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service reference method as a paired study, while orange juice samples were evaluated against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reference method as an unpaired study, using a proprietary media for the test method. Samples tested in this study were artificially inoculated with a Salmonella strain at levels expected to produce low (0.2-2.0 CFU/test portion) or high (5 CFU/test portion) spike levels on the day of analysis. For each matrix, the collaborative study failed to show a statistically significant difference between the candidate method and the reference method using the probability of detection statistical model. PMID:25051636

The activities of DU-6859a, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, sparfloxacin, piperacillin, piperacillin-tazobactam, imipenem, clindamycin, and metronidazole against 11 anaerobes were tested by the broth microdilution and time-kill methods. DU-6859a was the most active drug tested (broth microdilution MICs, 0.06 to 0.5 microg/ml), followed by imipenem (MICs, 0.002 to 4.0 microg/ml). Broth macrodilution MICs were within 3 (but usually 1) dilutions of the broth microdilution MICs. All compounds were bactericidal at the MIC after 48 h; after 24 h, 90% killing was shown for all strains when the compounds were used at four times the MIC. DU-6859a at < or = 0.5 microg/ml was bactericidal after 48 h. PMID:9087503

A set of Centre d'Étude du Polymorphisme Humain (CEPH) cell lines serves as a large reference collection that has been widely used as a benchmark for allele frequencies in the analysis of genetic variants, to create linkage maps of the human genome, to study the genetics of gene expression, to provide samples to the HapMap and 1000 Genomes projects, and for a variety of other applications. An explicit feature of the CEPH collection is that these multigenerational families represent reference panels of known relatedness, consisting mostly of three-generation pedigrees with large sibships, two parents, and grandparents. We applied identity-by-state (IBS) and identity-by-descent (IBD) methods to high-density genotype data from 186 CEPH individuals in 13 families. We identified unexpected relatedness between nominally unrelated grandparents both within and between pedigrees. For one pair, the estimated Cotterman coefficient of relatedness k1 exceeded 0.2, consistent with one-eighth sharing (eg, first-cousins). Unexpectedly, significant IBD2 values were discovered in both second-degree and parent–child relationships. These were accompanied by regions of homozygosity in the offspring, which corresponded to blocks lacking IBS0 in purportedly unrelated parents, consistent with inbreeding. Our findings support and extend a 1999 report, based on the use of short tandem-repeat polymorphisms, that several CEPH families had regions of homozygosity consistent with autozygosity. We benchmarked our IBD approach (called kcoeff) against both RELPAIR and PREST software packages. Our findings may affect the interpretation of previous studies and the design of future studies that rely on the CEPH resource. PMID:22274586

The authors investigated narrative competence, sociocognitive abilities and emotion comprehension in a 9-year-old child (FS) with Cri-du-Chat Syndrome (CdCS) who had only a mild mental delay and relatively preserved language. Considering that the production of narratives is a major step in development and in the acquisition of learning skills related to conceptual, linguistic, structural, and pragmatic knowledge, and in the development of psychological lexicon, that is, the ability to use theory of mind (ToM) processes also in atypical development, this case provided an opportunity to study aspects of this genetic syndrome never investigated before. The authors found that the child's performance on different stories was comparable to that of chronological age controls for several narrative and emotional competences and even better than that of mental age controls. However, her ability to reason was still incomplete according ToM; in fact, FS was able to express her mental states, but she was unable to understand emotions, specifically mixed emotions. This finding suggests that in CdCS children with a well-developed language narrative and emotional competence could be a point of strength for improving their social skills with important effects on their familiar and school life. Also in CdCS children with the typical poor developed language, the narrative discourse could be introduced in their communication by means of any type of alternative language (i.e., sign language or augmentative and alternative communication) to improve their social abilities and to reduce behavioral disorders due to the difficulty in expressing their personal experiences. PMID:23534097

Contamination of groundwater from point and nonpoint sources (such as landfills, feedlots, agricultural chemicals applied to fields, and septic systems) is a recognized problem in the karst area of southeastern Minnesota. The US Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources, Began a study in October 1987 to improve the understanding of local groundwater flow through karst terrain in southeastern Minnesota. The objectives of the study are to: (1) describe the orientations of systematic rock fractures and solution channels of the Prairie du Chien Group of Ordovician-age carbonate rocks in southeastern Minnesota, and, if possible, to define the principal and minor axes of these orientations; and (2) evaluate the effect of fractures and solution channels in the Prairie du Chien Group on the local flow of groundwater. Groundwater in the Upper Carbonate aquifer regionally flows toward the periphery of the aquifer and locally flows into streams and bedrock valleys. The hydraulic gradient in this aquifer generally is greatest near areas of groundwater seepage to streams. Regional groundwater flow in the Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer generally is to the south and east in much of Fillmore and Houston Counties and in the southern parts of Olmsted and Winona Counties. Groundwater seepage to selected streams was evaluated by current-meter measurements of downstream gains or losses of streamflow and by an experimental approach based on radon activity in streams. The activity of radon in groundwater ranges from two to four orders of magnitude greater than the activity in surface water; therefore, groundwater seepage to streams generally increases the in-stream radon activity.

For a comprehensive understanding of the pollution characteristics and ecological risk of heavy metals of farmland soil in Du'an Autonomous County of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, this study evaluated the cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), antimony (Sb), copper (Cu) and lead ( Pb) pollution situation using the single factor index, the Nemerow pollution index and the Hakanson ecological risk index. The results showed that heavy-metal pollution of farmland soil in Du'an County was serious. 74.6% of the soil samples had heavy metals concentrations higher than the Grade II of National Soil Environmental Quality Standard (GB 15618-1995). The over standard rates of Cd, As, Ni, Zn, Cr, Sb, Cu, Pb were 70.6%, 42.9%, 34.9%, 19.8%, 19.6%, 2.94%, 1.59%, 0.79%, respectively. Cd and As were the main contaminants in Du'an County, the pollution was far more serious than those of the national and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. In terms of the ecological risk, heavy metals of farmland soil in Du'an County showed a "middle" ecological risk, with Cd accounting for 88% of the total ecological risk. The north-west of Jiudu Town and the zone between Bao'an Town and Dongmiao Town were two areas with high ecological risk in Du'an County. The contamination of farmland soils in Du'an County was caused by two main sources, whereas the pollution of As and Sb of farmland soils near Diaojiang River was mainly caused by the upstream mining industry. PMID:26592028

Abstract Background Next generation sequencing and bio-informatic analyses were conducted to investigate the mechanism of reactivation of p53 and induction of tumor cell apoptosis (RITA)-enhancing X-ray susceptibility in FaDu cells. Materials and methods The cDNA was isolated from FaDu cells treated with 0 X-ray, 8 Gy X-ray, or 8 Gy X-ray + RITA. Then, cDNA libraries were created and sequenced using next generation sequencing, and each assay was repeated twice. Subsequently, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified using Cuffdiff in Cufflinks and their functions were predicted by pathway enrichment analyses. Genes that were constantly up- or down-regulated in 8 Gy X-ray-treated FaDu cells and 8 Gy X-ray + RITA-treated FaDu cells were obtained as RITA genes. Afterward, the protein-protein interaction (PPI) relationships were obtained from the STRING database and a PPI network was constructed using Cytoscape. Furthermore, ClueGO was used for pathway enrichment analysis of genes in the PPI network. Results Total 2,040 and 297 DEGs were identified in FaDu cells treated with 8 Gy X-ray or 8 Gy X-ray + RITA, respectively. PARP3 and NEIL1 were enriched in base excision repair, and CDK1 was enriched in p53 signaling pathway. RFC2 and EZH2 were identified as RITA genes. In the PPI network, many interaction relationships were identified (e.g., RFC2-CDK1, EZH2-CDK1 and PARP3-EZH2). ClueGO analysis showed that RFC2 and EZH2 were related to cell cycle. Conclusions RFC2, EZH2, CDK1, PARP3 and NEIL1 may be associated, and together enhance the susceptibility of FaDu cells treated with RITA to the deleterious effects of X-ray. PMID:27247549

A polarimeter, to observe exoplanets in the visible and infrared, was built for the "Observatoire du Mont Mégantic" (OMM) to replace an existing instrument and reach 10-6 precision, a factor 100 improvement. The optical and mechanical designs are presented, with techniques used to precisely align the optical components and rotation axes to achieve the targeted precision. A photo-elastic modulator (PEM) and a lock-in amplifier are used to measure the polarization. The typical signal is a high DC superimposed to a very faint sinusoidal oscillation. Custom electronics was developed to measure the AC and DC amplitudes, and characterization results are presented.

The pharmacokinetics and tolerance of DU-6859a, 7-[(7S)-7-amino-5-azaspiro[2,4]heptan-5-yl]-8-chloro-6-fluor o-1-[(1R, 2S)-2-fluoro-1-cyclopropyl]-1,4-dihydro-4-oxo-3-quinolinecarboxylic acid sesquihydrate, were investigated in healthy male Japanese volunteers after single (25, 50, 100, and 200 mg) and multiple (100 mg three times a day for 6 days plus once a day on the 7th day and 50 mg every 12 h for 13 doses) oral doses. DU-6859a was well tolerated at all doses, and all 36 subjects completed the study; mild transient soft stool in five volunteers and mild transient diarrhea in one volunteer on the multiple-dose (100 mg three times a day) study were the only side effects reported. No drug crystals were observed in the urine after the single 200-mg dose and the 100-mg three times a day regimen. DU-6859a was rapidly absorbed in the fasted state. The mean maximum concentration in serum (Cmax) ranged from 0.29 to 1.86 micrograms/ml for the 25- to 200-mg dose, and the mean time to reach Cmax ranged from 1.0 to 1.3 h. The terminal half-life ranged from 4.4 to 5.0 h. The area under the curve increased dose dependently. The serum protein binding of the drug was approximately 50%. The apparent volume of distribution clearly exceeded 1 liter/kg, suggesting good tissue penetration. Within 48 h, the cumulative urinary recovery of unchanged drug amounted to 69 to 74% of the dose administered, while fecal excretion up to 48 h after the 200-mg dose accounted for ca. 3% of the dose. Food intake did not affect the rate and extend of absorption of DU-6859a to a clinically significant extent. During multiple oral dosing, the accumulation of the drug in serum was close to the theoretically predicted values, which indicated that there was virtually no drug accumulation. PMID:7695301

Medical science in the 2nd half of the 19th century proceeded in a stepwise fashion, when the development of new techniques permitted the evaluation of living processes by direct microscopic or endoscopic inspection, as well as by quantitative measurements of the underlying physical and chemical forces. Ludwig, Henle, Helmholtz and DuBois-Reymond all contributed in different ways to the evolution of medicine and physiology into natural sciences, freed from romantic, philosophic speculation. Nephrology benefitted from this development and from the contributions of the non-nephrologists to natural science. PMID:7847467

When polymer and liquid are contacted with each other, as in packaging, some mass exchanges may occur, which constitute a major drawback when the liquid is a foodstuff or blood. However, these mass transfers in the polymers can appear as very interesting from the industrial point of view, if one is able to use and control them. It is then necessary to have a good knowledge of these transfer processes which are controlled by diffusion. Dioctyl phthalate (DOP) migration into an edible oil was studied under worst conditions: high plasticization level (50% by weight) and temperature(30 circC). The quantitative analysis of DOP in a such complex liquid medium and in the PVC itself was made easy by the use of the radioactive tracer technique. A simplified mathematical model, obtained by neglecting the oil transport in the PVC, was evaluated. This model based on the research of a finite differences explicit solution allows to reproduce for the DOP, the concentration profiles in the polymer and the kinetics of transfer in the oil, with a P-value ≥ 0.001. La mise en contact polymère-liquide se traduit généralement par des échanges de matière entre les 2 milieux considérés, ce qui constitue un inconvénient majeur lorsque le liquide est un aliment ou le sang. Cependant, ces transferts de matière dans les polymères peuvent apparaître comme très intéressants sur le plan industriel, si l'on est capable de les utiliser et de les contrôler. Il est donc nécessaire d'avoir une bonne connaissance de ces processus de transfert qui sont contrôlés par diffusion. Nous avons étudié la migration du dioctyl phtalate (DOP) dans une huile comestible en nous plaçant dans les conditions les plus défavorables: taux de plastification (50% en poids) et température (30°C) élevés. L'analyse quantitative du DOP dans un milieu liquide aussi complexe et dans le PVC lui- même a été facilitée par l'utilisation de la technique des traceurs radioactifs. Un modèle math

Following the end of the Kosovo conflict, in June 1999, a study was instigated to evaluate whether there was a cause for concern of health risk from depleted uranium (DU) to German peacekeeping personnel serving in the Balkans. In addition, the investigations were extended to residents of Kosovo and southern Serbia, who lived in areas where DU ammunitions were deployed. In order to assess a possible DU intake, both the urinary uranium excretion of volunteer residents and water samples were collected and analysed using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). More than 1300 urine samples from peacekeeping personnel and unexposed controls of different genders and age were analysed to determine uranium excretion parameters. The urine measurements for 113 unexposed subjects revealed a daily uranium excretion rate with a geometric mean of 13.9 ng/d (geometric standard deviation (GSD)=2.17). The analysis of 1228 urine samples from the peacekeeping personnel resulted in a geometric mean of 12.8 ng/d (GSD=2.60). It follows that both unexposed controls and peacekeeping personnel excreted similar amounts of uranium. Inter-subject variation in uranium excretion was high and no significant age-specific differences were found. The second part of the study monitored 24 h urine samples provided by selected residents of Kosovo and adjacent regions of Serbia compared to controls from Munich, Germany. Total uranium and isotope ratios were measured in order to determine DU content. (235)U/(238)U ratios were within +/-0.3% of the natural value, and (236)U/(238)U was less than 2 x 10(-7), indicating no significant DU in any of the urine samples provided, despite total uranium excretion being relatively high in some cases. Measurements of ground and tap water samples from regions where DU munitions were deployed did not show any contamination with DU, except in one sample. It is concluded that both peacekeeping personnel and residents serving or living in the Balkans

Chrysanthemum indicum L. has been shown to possess antiinflammatory and anticancer activities, but its molecular targets/pathways are not yet fully understood in tumor cells. In the present study, the potential effects of C. indicum on signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling pathway in different tumor cells were examined. The solvent fractions (hexane, CH₂Cl₂, EtOAc, and BuOH,) were obtained from a crude extract (80% EOH extract) of C. indicum. The methylene chloride fraction of C. indicum (MCI) exhibited strong cytotoxic activity as compared with the other fractions and clearly suppressed constitutive STAT3 activation against both DU145 and U266 cells, but not MDA-MB-231 cells. The suppression of constitutive STAT3 activation by MCI is associated with blocking upstream JAK1 and JAK2, but not Src. MCI downregulated the expression of STAT3-regulated gene products; this is correlated with the accumulation of the cell cycle at sub-G1 phase, the induction of caspase-3 activation, and apoptosis. Moreover, the major components of the MCI were bioactive compounds such as sudachitin, hesperetin, chrysoeriol, and acacetin. Sudachitin, chrysoeriol, and acacetin also exerted significantly cytotoxicity, clearly suppressed constitutive STAT3 activation, and induced apoptosis, although hesperetin did not show any significant effect in DU145 cells. Overall, our results demonstrate that MCI could induce apoptosis through inhibition of the JAK1/2 and STAT3 signaling pathways. PMID:22438130

Observations of magnetic Ap stars taken at the 2 m Telescope Bernard Lyot (TBL) of Pic-du-Midi Observatory are of the greatest importance in the study of the stellar magnetism. With the help of the polarimeter STERENN, in the '90s, Leroy and collaborators performed a vigorous campaign of observations of broadband linear polarization of Ap stars, virtually disclosing a new window on the transverse components of the stellar magnetic fields. Less than 10years later, Donati, Landstreet, Wade and other collaborators are routinely using MuSiCoS in polarimetric mode to observe Stokes profiles of Ap and other kinds of magnetic stars. I will review the impact of TBL observations on the study of magnetic fields of Ap stars, and the progresses in the modelling that have been accomplished in the last ten years.

A dry deposition method for patterning particles for specific applications of emissive display screens, photocatalysts and nanoparticles, using DuPont Tacky DotRTM photopolymer, was developed. This tacky photopolymer, CromalinRTM, may be adhered to various substrates and patterned through the polymerization of the adhesive when exposed to UV light. It was found that CromalinRTM is activated at a wavelength of 340--370 nm and has a patterning resolution as measured by the USAF 1951 resolution target to be ˜20 mum. Phosphor, alumina, titania, toner and various types of nanometer-sized materials, including carbon nanotubes, mesoporous silica nanoparticles, silver nanowires and magnetic magnetite nanoparticles were adhered to Positive CromalinRTM. These particles were shown to become adhered and embedded within the tacky photopolymer layer. Patterning of these nanomaterials was also found to be successful. Particle loading evaluations showed a monolayer of particles was adhered to the surface with an increase in deposit density and coverage when a layer of large diameter particles was followed by a layer of small diameter particles. A tape test showed the adhesion of particles to the surface is adequate (˜50 N) for the investigated applications and is dependent on particle shape. The decomposition properties of this adhesive material were evaluated to be suitable for emissive display screens and photocatalysis processes. The thermal degradation of the polymer in argon at 450°C was ˜83-86 wt.%. Adhesion increased with limited UV exposure and the solubility in water and acetone of Positive Cromalin RTM decreased. Multiple adhesion mechanisms may contribute to the adhesion of various particle shapes and materials to Positive CromalinRTM. The elastic behavior of CromalinRTM allows particles to become completely or partially embedded into the photopolymer layer. This intimate contact allows surface forces, such as van der Waals, to act at the interface of the polymer

Continuous measurements of atmospheric gaseous elemental mercury (GEM), particulate bound mercury (PBM) and gaseous oxidized mercury (GOM) at the high-altitude Pic du Midi Observatory (PDM Observatory, 2877 m a.s.l.) in southern France were made from November 2011 to November 2012. The mean GEM, PBM and GOM concentrations were 1.86 ng m-3, 14 pg m-3 and 27 pg m-3, respectively and we observed 44 high PBM (peak PBM values of 33-98 pg m-3) and 61 high GOM (peak GOM values of 91-295 pg m-3) events. The high PBM events occurred mainly in cold seasons (winter and spring) whereas high GOM events were mainly observed in the warm seasons (summer and autumn). In cold seasons the maximum air mass residence times (ARTs) associated with high PBM events were observed in the upper troposphere over North America. The ratios of high PBM ARTs to total ARTs over North America, Europe, the Arctic region and Atlantic Ocean were all elevated in the cold season compared to the warm season, indicating that the middle and upper free troposphere of the Northern Hemisphere may be more enriched in PBM in cold seasons. PBM concentrations and PBM / GOM ratios during the high PBM events were significantly anti-correlated with atmospheric aerosol concentrations, air temperature and solar radiation, suggesting in situ formation of PBM in the middle and upper troposphere. We identified two distinct types of high GOM events with the GOM concentrations positively and negatively correlated with atmospheric ozone concentrations, respectively. High GOM events positively correlated with ozone were mainly related to air masses from the upper troposphere over the Arctic region and middle troposphere over the temperate North Atlantic Ocean, whereas high GOM events anti-correlated with ozone were mainly related to air masses from the lower free troposphere over the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean. The ARTs analysis demonstrates that the lower and middle free troposphere over the North Atlantic Ocean was

This report presents all the information, obtained during the investigation, that lends itself to generalization. It describes conditions on that part of the Coteau du Missouri where there is little integration of drainage systems. The surface of the glacial drift in this region is dotted with shallow depressions known as prairie potholes that hold water for varying lengths of time. Precipitation directly on a pothole is the basic source of its water supply, but it is only about half the potential evaporation; therefore, potholes tend to go dry. Basin inflow from melting snow or rain occurs only when the soil is frozen or saturated, a condition so erratic in occurrence that seasonal or annual precipitation is of little value as an indication of basin inflow. Net seepage outflow occurs from potholes on the higher parts of the Coteau at very low rates, but it can amount to 20 to 30 percent of the total water loss from a pothole. Net seepage inflow occurs at the potholes on the lower parts of the Coteau. The phreatic surface (water table) tends to be a subdued image of the topography and is generally very near the land surface. The water surfaces of the potholes are part of the phreatic surface, and therefore they can be used to prepare a contour map of the phreatic surface; wells usually act as piezometers and thus are useless for such a purpose. Generally, potholes with water relatively low in dissolved solids have net seepage outflow, and those with water containing high concentration of dissolved solids have net seepage inflow. The direction of ground-water movement can therefore be inferred from the quality of water in potholes. The total salinity of water in a pothole is largely a function of the rate of ground-water flow and the relationship of seepage inflow to outflow. The species of emergent aquatic vegetation that grow in a pothole are directly related to the permanence and salinity of the water at the particular site of each species. The report contains a

A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method using fluorescence detection has been developed for the simultaneous analysis of low nanogram concentrations of an anti-inflammatory drug, 5-Bromo-2-(4-fluorophenyl)-3-[4-(methylsulfonyl)phenyl]thiophene (DuP 697), and a potential metabolite (X6882) in human plasma and of DuP 697 in human urine. This assay method used an EM Separations Lichrospher C18 endcapped column. The mobile phase was acetonitrile-water (75:25, v/v). The detection of DuP 697 and X6882 was by fluorescence at excitation and emission wavelengths of 256 and 419 nm, respectively. The chromatographic system could separate DuP 697 from X6882, the external standard (anthracene), and other endogenous substances present in human plasma. In human plasma the limits of quantification for DuP 697 and X6882 were 3 and 20 ng/ml, respectively; the limit of quantification for DuP 697 in human urine was 5 ng/ml. These compounds were shown to be stable in frozen (-20 degrees C) human plasma and urine for at least 9 weeks. The assay described has been used to characterize DuP 697 pharmacokinetics after oral administration in humans. PMID:7858707

A high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC/Q-TOF MS) was developed for the analysis of chemical composition change in the production process of Re Du Ning injection, a Chinese medicine preparation with a combination of Lonicera japonica Thunb., Gardenia jasminoides Ellis and Artemisia annua L. A total of 90 compounds from raw materials-intermediates-Re Du Ning injection were detected; among them, 55 compounds were identified or tentatively characterized, and the characteristic ions of different types of compounds were described. Based on these studies, the different types of compounds in the various process routes were analyzed. A total of 28 compounds, including seven iridoid glycosides and six monoterpenes from G. jasminoides Ellis, five iridoid glycosides, nine phenolic acids and one unknown compound from L. japonica Thunb., were transferred to Re Du Ning injection, and two unknown compounds were generated in the production process of Re Du Ning injection. The results indicated that the Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutical process control is very important. This method could provide some reference for other Chinese medicine preparations. PMID:26058547

Flow field flow fractionation (FlFFF) in combination with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to study the chemical speciation of U and trace metals in depleted uranium (DU) contaminated soils. A chemical extraction procedure using sodium pyrophosphate, followed by isolation of humic and fulvic substances was applied to two dissimilar DU contaminated sample types (a sandy soil and a clay-rich soil), in addition to a control soil. The sodium pyrophosphate fractions of the firing range soils (Eskmeals and Kirkcudbright) were found to contain over 50% of the total U (measured after aqua regia digestion), compared to approximately 10% for the control soil. This implies that the soils from the contaminated sites contained a large proportion of the U within more easily mobile soil fractions. Humic and fulvic acid fractions each gave characteristic peak maxima for analytes of interest (Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Pb and U), with the fulvic acid fraction eluting at a smaller diameter (approximately 2.1 nm on average) than the humic fraction (approximately 2.4 nm on average). DU in the fulvic acid fraction gave a bimodal peak, not apparent for other trace elements investigated, including natural U. This implies that DU interacts with the fulvic acid fraction in a different way to all other elements studied. PMID:22237634

Prior to discovery of commercial gas in Lower Ordovician Prairie du Chien sandstones at Falmouth field, Missaukee County, in April 1981, only 119 wells had reached underlying Cambrian rocks in Michigan's Southern Peninsula. The resulting deep basin drilling activity to January 1, 1987, has resulted in 17 Prairie du Chien gas discoveries in the north-central part of the Michigan basin and an additional 46 Cambrian penetrations. This study also utilized 235 Prairie du Chien partial penetrations. It is now possible to correlate with relative certainty the standard Cambrian formations of the subsurface of southern Michigan to wells within and on the other margins of the basin. These, in ascending order, are Mount Simon, Eau Claire, Dresbach, Franconia, and Trempealeau. Because of the previous lack of control, these units were commonly misidentified in northern wells in previous studies. The present study largely corroborates previous recent work. Four ascending formations of the Prairie du Chien Group were also correlated throughout the basin: Umlor, Foster, Bruggers, and Goodwell (newly proposed). Two type wells demonstrate the character of the Goodwell Formation. The Bruggers Sandstones has been further divided into four informal zones, based on extending correlations of thin, silty dolomite marker beds on gamma-ray logs from the Goodwell and Woodville fields area, Newaygo County. Gas is produced from these Brugger zones. Twelve detailed stratigraphic cross sections (using 183 wells) and a pre-Glenwood paleogeologic map demonstrate marked basin-wide pre-Middle Ordovician erosional truncation.

Based on available data and estimates of vertical hydraulic conductivity for geologic units, major leakage to the Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer is indicated to occur in formation subcrop areas, especially where these areas are. overlain by the most permeable glacial drift.

The author describes the history of the Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec, from after World War II to the present day. The Conseil de la recherche médicale du Québec (Quebec Medical Research Council) was created in 1964 to bring Quebec up to speed in biomedical research through programs that complemented those of the Medical Research Council of Canada. The council progressively evolved, becoming the Conseil de la recherche en santé du Québec (Quebec Health Research Council) in 1974 and the Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec (FRSQ) in 1982. The FRSQ covers all aspects of medical research, in its broadest sense. Quebec's progress in biomedical research has been spectacular and has had direct and considerable influence on the quality of medical education and patient care. From 1982 to 1996, various Quebec governments have devoted more than +500 million to the FRSQ, a testimony to their comprehension of the importance of this area and to their farsightedness. The FRSQ and its predecessor organizations have been a major force in improving and maintaining the quality of medical teaching and care in Quebec during the last three decades. PMID:8823209

The implementation of a four-day week (Monday-Thursday) for on-campus classes at the College of DuPage, an Illinois community college, was assessed in terms of student registration; class enrollment; student success rates; instructional quality; and savings resulting from driving differences, energy use, and building maintenance. Withdrawal and…

Anna Julia Cooper and W.E.B. Du Bois were two of the most prominent African-American educators of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. During this period, they both envisioned a broad education tailored specifically to the critical intellectual and vocational needs of the entire black community. In this essay, the author examines common themes…

Plumbagin (PLB) has exhibited a potent anticancer effect in preclinical studies, but the molecular interactome remains elusive. This study aimed to compare the quantitative proteomic responses to PLB treatment in human prostate cancer PC-3 and DU145 cells using the approach of stable-isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC). The data were finally validated using Western blot assay. First, the bioinformatic analysis predicted that PLB could interact with 78 proteins that were involved in cell proliferation and apoptosis, immunity, and signal transduction. Our quantitative proteomic study using SILAC revealed that there were at least 1,225 and 267 proteins interacting with PLB and there were 341 and 107 signaling pathways and cellular functions potentially regulated by PLB in PC-3 and DU145 cells, respectively. These proteins and pathways played a critical role in the regulation of cell cycle, apoptosis, autophagy, epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), and reactive oxygen species generation. The proteomic study showed substantial differences in response to PLB treatment between PC-3 and DU145 cells. PLB treatment significantly modulated the expression of critical proteins that regulate cell cycle, apoptosis, and EMT signaling pathways in PC-3 cells but not in DU145 cells. Consistently, our Western blotting analysis validated the bioinformatic and proteomic data and confirmed the modulating effects of PLB on important proteins that regulated cell cycle, apoptosis, autophagy, and EMT in PC-3 and DU145 cells. The data from the Western blot assay could not display significant differences between PC-3 and DU145 cells. These findings indicate that PLB elicits different proteomic responses in PC-3 and DU145 cells involving proteins and pathways that regulate cell cycle, apoptosis, autophagy, reactive oxygen species production, and antioxidation/oxidation homeostasis. This is the first systematic study with integrated computational, proteomic, and

The study focused on the lower beach and nearshore zone of the Golfe du Lion (northwestern Mediterranean Sea -France). We looked at grain-size distribution in the berm, collision zone, inner and outer bars, lower shoreface applying parametric methods, grain-size modal analysis and a deconvolution program (LNDoGS).Results indicate a mixture of three recognizable sedimentary types (ST1 - ST3 - ST4) and explain grain-size distribution (GSD) of the sands in both multimodal and apparently unimodal GSDs. ST1 flows from the River Rhone, ST3 and 4 are local components originating from either fluvial input or nearshore reworking of Quaternary sediments.A fourth component (ST2), derived in situ from ST1, is found far from the overwhelming footprint of the Rhone river sands, westward in the lower shoreface.The mixing process entails significant variations in grain-size indices and skewness appears as a very sensitive and meaningful parameter. Skewness and bimodality, generated in all zones, are two aspects of the mixing process, depending on the relative proportions of STs.Using LNDoGS makes deciphering the STs a lot easier. It also reveals that some GSDs can result from a combination of 3 sedimentary variants (SVs) belonging to the same ST (monotype grain-size distributions). Monotype mixtures are very abundant on the lower shoreface, significantly present on the berm and inner bar but rare in the most dynamic zones. On the berm they tend towards a lognormal model for only bedload is present in the swash. This trend towards a lognormal model can also be observed on the lower shoreface, possibly indicating the occurrence of suspension as a dominant process.Thus, each segment of the nearshore - foreshore profile can be characterized using coarseness, skewness sign, the presence of locally generated ST2, abundance of bimodalities, occurrence of SVs. Finally, a more detailed description of the spatial properties of grain-size distributions could help explore possible mechanisms

The European Union Forces Operation République Démocratique du Congo in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2006 was the first operation planned and conducted solely by the European Union Forces. The Finnish forward surgical team (FST) was deployed for 4 months in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Because of the peacekeeping nature of the operation, the surgical workload was light and the total number of patients treated by the FST was 12. However, there is an obvious need to establish similar surgical assets in future operations. The lessons and experiences regarding the variables in the composition of the FST (mobility, surgical ability, staffing, patient care, physical stability, environmental adaptation, and independence) are discussed in the present article. The major future challenges are to resource the FST units optimally to remain light and easily deployable and to maintain the effectiveness of the unit during nonclinical periods. PMID:18543567

To investigate potential impacts on automobile finishes, droplets of 4 naled formulations were applied to 3 contemporary automotive paints and assessed by means of microscopic and unaided visual inspections. Three droplet size ranges simulated ground- and aerial-based ultra-low volume applications and were each generated for Dibrom Concentrate, a new formulation of Dibrom Concentrate (VC-1088), and two other new naled formulations (Trumpet VC-1083 and Trumpet VC-1084). Du Pont automotive paint finishes tested were RK7072, RK8010, and RK7120 used on Ford trucks, General Motors cars, and Cadillacs, respectively. Visible spotting was never produced by small droplets averaging (SE) a volume median diameter of 13.12 microns (0.44), and quantifiable microscopic spots were detected only on the RK8010 paint finish. The latter paint finish was the most susceptible to spotting, whereas RK7072 was not affected by any formulation at each droplet size. PMID:9474557

Aerosols of 4.1-..mu..m mass median aerodynamic diameter chrysotile fibers were generated and passed through stitched (seamed) and unstitched (unseamed) DuPont Tyvek 1422A and Kimerly-Clark composite polypropylene fabric (CPF) spunbonded fabrics. The two unstitched fabrics and the two stitched fabrics were penetrated by amounts of chrysotile, which did not allow a statistically significant difference in penetration to be observed. Both Tyvek and the CPF allowed approximately a 1% penetration through the unstitched material and approximately a 30% penetration through the stitched material. These values refer to the suit materials per se and not to the entire garment. As such, they should not be considered as representative of the entire suit as worn by personnel.

Aerosols of 4.1-..mu.. mass median aerodynamic diameter chrysotile asbestos fibers were generated and passed through stitched (seamed) and unstitched (unseamed) DuPont Tyvek 1422A and Kimberly-Clark composite polypropylene fabric (CPF) spunbonded fabrics. The two unstitched fabrics and the two stitched fabrics were penetrated by amounts of chrysotile which did not allow a statistically significant difference in penetration to be observed. Both the Tyvek and the CPF allowed approximately a 1% penetration through the unstitched material and approximately a 30% penetration through the stitched material. These values refer to the suit materials per se and not to the entire garment. As such, they should not be considered as representative of the entire suit as worn by Navy personnel.

The U.S. Army Defense Ammunition Center and School (USADACS), Validation Engineering Division (SIOAC-DEV), was tasked by Industrial Operations Command (IOC), AMSIO-SMA-N, to conduct Department of Transportation (DOT) tests on nuclear hazardous waste containers containing concrete and 30mm DU rounds for shielding. Two series of tests were conducted due to fluctuations in radiation levels experienced during the first series of tests. During the second series of tests no fluctuations in radiation were noted with only minor problems experienced with pressure leakage around the base of two of three containers. Except for the leakage noted above, no other problems were experienced with all containers meeting the other requirements for DOT shipping and storage containers. This report contains results of the tests conducted.

Contamination of groundwater from point and nonpoint sources is a recognized problem in the karst area of southeastern Minnesota. The US Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources, began a study in October 1987 to improve the understanding of local groundwater flow through karst terrain in southeastern Minnesota. The objectives of the study are to: (1) describe the orientations of systematic rock fractures and solution channels of the Prairie du Chien Group of Ordovician-age carbonate rocks in southeastern Minnesota, and, if possible, to define the principal and minor axes of these orientations; and (2) evaluate the effect of fractures and solution channels in the Prairie due Chien Group on the local flow of groundwater. Groundwater in the Upper Carbonate aquifer regionally flows toward the periphery of the aquifer and locally flows into streams and bedrock valleys. The hydraulic gradient in this aquifer generally is greatest near areas of groundwater seepage to streams. Regional groundwater flow in the Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer generally is to the south and east in much of Fillmore and Houston Counties and in the southern parts of Olmsted and Winona Counties. Groundwater seepage to selected streams was evaluated by current-meter measurements of downstream gains or losses of stream-flow and by an experimental approach based on radon activity in streams. The activity of radon in groundwater ranges from two to four orders of magnitude greater than the activity in surface water; therefore, groundwater seepage to streams generally increases the in-stream radon activity. 6 refs., 2 figs.

Our previous study showed that sulforaphane (SFN) inhibits invasion in human prostate cancer DU145 cells; however, the underlying mechanisms were not profoundly investigated. In the present study, we found that sulforaphane-cysteine (SFN-Cys), as a metabolite of SFN, inhibits invasion and possesses a novel mechanism in prostate cancer DU145 and PC3 cells. The scratch and Transwell assays showed that SFN-Cys (15 µM) inhibited both migration and invasion, with cell morphological changes, such as cell shrinkage and pseudopodia shortening. The cell proliferation (MTS) assay indicated that cell viability was markedly suppressed with increasing concentrations of SFN‑Cys. Furthermore, the Transwell assay showed that inhibition of SFN‑Cys‑triggered invasion was tightly linked to the sustained extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) phosphorylation. Western blot analysis revealed that SFN-Cys downregulated galectin-1 protein, an invasion‑related protein, and that the galectin‑1 reduction could be blocked by ERK1/2 inhibitor PD98059 (25 µM). Moreover, immunofluorescence staining showed that the expression level of galectin-1 protein was significantly reduced in the cells treated with SFN‑Cys. Hence, SFN‑Cys‑inhibited invasion resulted from the sustained ERK1/2 phosphorylation and ERK1/2‑triggered galectin-1 downregulation, suggesting that galectin-1 is a new SFN-Cys target inhibiting invasion apart from ERK1/2, in the treatment of prostate cancer. PMID:27430422

Gidaa informal science camps have been held in various formats and emphases for over 10 years at Fond du Lac (FDL). These camps provided a safe place for young people to be "nerds" but did not have specific focus. In the last 5 years the camp themes became more focused on environmental issues facing the reservation. From 2009 to 2014 the camps focused on issues surrounding the health of wild rice plants. Since September 2014, we are focusing on climate literacy and how climate changes are affecting tribal environment. We learned from our wild rice themed activities that students are more focused and interested in topics that affect them and their reservation and traditional activities.Each camp has a presentation by a staff from the FDL Resource Management Division. These presentations are sometimes given on Friday evenings after dinner and yet students remain alert, respectful, and actively take notes. The presentation topic is known in advance and camp teachers (local middle and high school teachers who have been with us for 5 to 10 years) plan lessons around that topic. In addition, college students, some of them past camp participants, are on hand to assist the teachers and to provide role models. Students have investigated, for example, possible effects of climate change on the timing of rising of sugar maple sap and whether sugar maple tress will continue to thrive in their area, efforts to bring back sturgeon to local rivers and how the changes in water temperature may affect that effort, possible climate connection to decline of moose and walleye pike population at 5 weekend camps during the last academic year. We have conducted 2 surveys by an outside evaluator and will have the results before the next round of camps starts in fall 2015 to help us tweak the format if necessary. Teachers and planners (PIs) are happy with the way camps are running this year; there is a good balance of camp activities that allow teachers to translate and adapt the

The history of major, trace, and actinide element mobility and fluid infiltration has been studied in two deep fractures (>1 km) in the Lac du Bonnet batholith as part of the Canadian Nuclear Fuel Waste Management Program. Core samples collected from two fracture zones, FR1 and FR2 ([approximately]1,175 m deep), containing saline groundwater (TDS = 50 g/L) were investigated mineralogically, chemically, and isotopically ([sup 238]U-series, O and H). Several sequentially overprinting alteration states were identified from early high-temperature to later low-temperature hydrothermal alteration. K-feldspar, illite, chlorite, and later kaolinite formed during these stages. Subsequent infiltration of oxidizing fluids produced alteration of the chlorite to hydrous iron oxides. Fracture zone FR1 contains predominantly hematite coating; fracture zone FR2 is characterized by the formation of a breccia and by an intense alteration of the granite in contact with this breccia to illitic clay. Alteration occurred during infiltration either of formation brines or of isotopically evolved meteoric water where [delta][sup 18]O = 8 to 12[per thousand] and [delta]D = [minus]65 to [minus]20[per thousand], at calculated temperatures between [approximately]250 and [le]25[degrees]C. Pronounced disequilibria of [sup 234]U/[sup 238]U (<0.5), [sup 230]Th/[sup 234]U ([approximately]0.7), and [sup 226]Ra/[sup 230]Th ([approximately]0.9) exist in the illitic clay, indicating loss of [sup 234]U, [sup 230]Th, and [sup 226]Ra to the groundwater within the last 1.5 Ma. In contrast, an excess of [sup 234]U, [sup 230]Th, and [sup 226]Ra was measured in the brecciated samples. The disequilibria are consistent with a model involving loss of [sup 234]U, [sup 230]Th, and [sup 226]Ra to groundwater by [alpha]-recoil from U deposited on the illitic clay surfaces. These radionuclides were deposited subsequently in the nearby brecciated zone. 51 refs., 11 figs., 8 tabs.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) - Philadelphia District is conducting an environmental restoration at the DuPont Chambers Works in Deepwater, New Jersey under the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP). Discrete locations are contaminated with natural uranium, thorium-230 and radium-226. The USACE is proposing a preferred remedial alternative consisting of excavation and offsite disposal to address soil contamination followed by monitored natural attenuation to address residual groundwater contamination. Methods were developed to quantify the error associated with contaminant volume estimates and use mass balance calculations of the uranium plume to estimate the removal efficiency of the proposed alternative. During the remedial investigation, the USACE collected approximately 500 soil samples at various depths. As the first step of contaminant mass estimation, soil analytical data was segmented into several depth intervals. Second, using contouring software, analytical data for each depth interval was contoured to determine lateral extent of contamination. Six different contouring algorithms were used to generate alternative interpretations of the lateral extent of the soil contamination. Finally, geographical information system software was used to produce a three dimensional model in order to present both lateral and vertical extent of the soil contamination and to estimate the volume of impacted soil for each depth interval. The average soil volume from all six contouring methods was used to determine the estimated volume of impacted soil. This method also allowed an estimate of a standard deviation of the waste volume estimate. It was determined that the margin of error for the method was plus or minus 17% of the waste volume, which is within the acceptable construction contingency for cost estimation. USACE collected approximately 190 groundwater samples from 40 monitor wells. It is expected that excavation and disposal of

We compared the in vitro antibacterial activity of DU-6681a against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria with that of R-95867, faropenem and oral cephalosporins such as cefcapene, cefotiam and cefpodoxime. DU-6681a is an active form of the new oral carbapenem compound DZ-2640, which is an ester-type prodrug, and R-95867 is an active form of the oral carbapenem CS-834. Against most Gram-positive bacteria, DU-6681a was as active as or two- to 16-fold more potent than R-95867 and faropenem in terms of MIC(90), and comparable to or two- to 64-fold more effective than the cephalosporins. Against most Gram-negative bacteria, the activity of DU-6681a was the same as or two- to 16-fold more potent than that of R-95867, and comparable to or two- to 2048-fold higher than that of faropenem and the cephalosporins. PMID:10882697

Wind and the associated snow drift are dominating factors determining the snow distribution and accumulation in alpine areas, resulting in a high spatial variability of snow depth that is difficult to evaluate and quantify. The terrain-based parameter Sx characterizes the degree of shelter or exposure of a grid point provided by the upwind terrain, without the computational complexity of numerical wind field models. The parameter has shown to qualitatively predict snow redistribution with good reproduction of spatial patterns. It does not, however, provide a quantitative estimate of changes in snow depths. The objective of our research was to introduce a new parameter to quantify changes in snow depths in our research area, the Col du Lac Blanc in the French Alps. The area is at an elevation of 2700 m and particularly suited for our study due to its consistently bi-modal wind directions. Our work focused on two pronounced, approximately 10 m high terrain breaks, and we worked with 1 m resolution digital snow surface models (DSM). The DSM and measured changes in snow depths were obtained with high-accuracy terrestrial laser scan (TLS) measurements. First we calculated the terrain-based parameter Sx on a digital snow surface model and correlated Sx with measured changes in snow-depths (Δ SH). Results showed that Δ SH can be approximated by Δ SHestimated = α * Sx, where α is a newly introduced parameter. The parameter α has shown to be linked to the amount of snow deposited influenced by blowing snow flux. At the Col du Lac Blanc test side, blowing snow flux is recorded with snow particle counters (SPC). Snow flux is the number of drifting snow particles per time and area. Hence, the SPC provide data about the duration and intensity of drifting snow events, two important factors not accounted for by the terrain parameter Sx. We analyse how the SPC snow flux data can be used to estimate the magnitude of the new variable parameter α . To simulate the development

Two papers describe two aspects of French foreign language instruction in West Germany. The first, "L'enseignement du francais en Republique Federale d'Allemagne" by Abel, deals with the institutional framework for French instruction in West Germany. A discussion of the instructional situation looks first at the history of French instruction since…

We analyse the mecanisms of the transient response of TiO2-film EGO (Exhaust Gas Oxygen) sensors to partial oxygen pressure. This analysis, in agreement with the steady-state behaviour, is based upon the diffusion theory. Moreover, our results corroborate the decrease of the response time when Pt is incorporated to the film or when the thickness of the film is lessened. Nous analysons les réponses transitoires de capteurs résistifs de films de TiO2 soumis à des changements de pression partielle d'oxygène. Cette analyse fait appel à la théorie de la diffusion et reste en accord avec l'étude du comportement statique de ces capteurs. Les temps de réponse mesurés décroissent avec l'incorporation de Pt ou la diminution de l'épaisseur du film.

Wind and the associated snow drift are dominating factors determining the snow distribution and accumulation in alpine areas, resulting in a high spatial variability of snow depth that is difficult to evaluate and quantify. The terrain-based parameter Sx characterizes the degree of shelter or exposure of a grid point provided by the upwind terrain, without the computational complexity of numerical wind field models. The parameter has shown to qualitatively predict snow redistribution with good reproduction of spatial patterns, but has failed to quantitatively describe the snow redistribution, and correlations with measured snow heights were poor. The objective of our research was to a) identify the sources of poor correlations between predicted and measured snow re-distribution and b) improve the parameters ability to qualitatively and quantitatively describe snow redistribution in our research area, the Col du Lac Blanc in the French Alps. The area is at an elevation of 2700 m and particularly suited for our study due to its constant wind direction and the availability of data from a meteorological station. Our work focused on areas with terrain edges of approximately 10 m height, and we worked with 1-2 m resolution digital terrain and snow surface data. We first compared the results of the terrain-based parameter calculations to measured snow-depths, obtained by high-accuracy terrestrial laser scan measurements. The results were similar to previous studies: The parameter was able to reproduce observed patterns in snow distribution, but regression analyses showed poor correlations between terrain-based parameter and measured snow-depths. We demonstrate how the correlations between measured and calculated snow heights improve if the parameter is calculated based on a snow surface model instead of a digital terrain model. We show how changing the parameter's search distance and how raster re-sampling and raster smoothing improve the results. To improve the parameter

The organization of this thesis consists of three main ideas: the first presents the theoretical framework and experimental, as well as objects used in the analysis and the second relates to the various work tasks of service that I performed on the calorimeter, and the third is the search for the Higgs boson in the channel ZH → e+e-b$\\bar{b}$. Thus, this thesis has the following structure: Chapter 1 is an introduction to the standard model of particle physics and the Higgs mechanism; Chapter 2 is an overview of the complex and the acceleration of the Tevatron at Fermilab DØ detector; Chapter 3 is an introduction to physical objects used in this thesis; Chapter 4 presents the study made on correcting the energy measured in the calorimeter; Chapter 5 describes the study of certification of electrons in the calorimeter; Chapter 6 describes the study of certification of electrons in the intercryostat region of calorimeter; Chapter 7 Detailed analysis on the search for Higgs production in the channel ZH → e+e-b$\\bar{b}$; and Chapter 8 presents the final results of the calculations of upper limits to the production cross section of the Higgs boson on a range of low masses.

The Lower Ordovician Prairie du Chien Group overlies the Cambrian-Ordovician Jordan Formation and underlies the Middle Ordovician St Peter Formation. The Prairie du Chien Group contains the Oneota Formation and the New Richmond and Willow River Members of the Shakopee Formation. The Prairie du Chien Group and associated formations form a repetitive sequence of alternating dolomites and sandstones: Jordan (sand), Oneota (dolomite), New Richmond (sand/dolomite), Willow River (dolomite), St. Peter (sand), and Platteville/Galena (dolomite/limestone). Prairie du Chien and Platteville/Galena carbonates thin over the Wisconsin arch and thicken eastward and westward. Petrography, cathodoluminescence, and electron microprobe analysis were used to identify and differentiate dolomite zones. The Oneota contains dolomite zones 1 to 3; the Shakopee contains zones 2 and 3; the Platteville/Galena only contains zone 3. Electron microprobe analysis of zone 3 reveals systematic decreases in dolomite stoichiometry and increases in iron and manganese trace-element composition along a transect from the Wisconsin arch to southeastern Minnesota. Zone 3 probably precipitated within a confined aquifer with recharge on the Wisconsin arch and flow toward southeastern Minnesota. In analogous modern systems, pore waters become progressively more reducing downflow, favoring trace-element enrichment. Zone 2 dolomites have low, uniform iron and manganese contents and uniform stoichiometries. Zone 2 compositions are consistent with precipitation in an unconfined and/or well-mixed aquifer associated with a continent-wide pre-St. Peter sea level drawdown and paleokarsting. Trace-element distributions within zone 1 dolomites are intermediate, suggesting precipitation within a semiconfined aquifer during pre-New Richmond exposure.

Highlights: • Copper levels are elevated in the tumour microenvironment. • APP mitigates copper-induced growth inhibition of DU145 prostate cancer (PCa) cells. • The APP intracellular domain is a prerequisite; soluble forms have no effect. • The E1 CuBD of APP is also a prerequisite. • APP copper binding potentially mitigates copper-induced PCa cell growth inhibition. - Abstract: Copper plays an important role in the aetiology and growth of tumours and levels of the metal are increased in the serum and tumour tissue of patients affected by a range of cancers including prostate cancer (PCa). The molecular mechanisms that enable cancer cells to proliferate in the presence of elevated copper levels are, therefore, of key importance in our understanding of tumour growth progression. In the current study, we have examined the role played by the amyloid precursor protein (APP) in mitigating copper-induced growth inhibition of the PCa cell line, DU145. A range of APP molecular constructs were stably over-expressed in DU145 cells and their effects on cell proliferation in the presence of copper were monitored. Our results show that endogenous APP expression was induced by sub-toxic copper concentrations in DU145 cells and over-expression of the wild-type protein was able to mitigate copper-induced growth inhibition via a mechanism involving the cytosolic and E1 copper binding domains of the full-length protein. APP likely represents one of a range of copper binding proteins that PCa cells employ in order to ensure efficient proliferation despite elevated concentrations of the metal within the tumour microenvironment. Targeting the expression of such proteins may contribute to therapeutic strategies for the treatment of cancers.

Re-entry vehicles on missiles launched at Vandenberg Air Force base in California re-enter at the Western Test Range, the Regan Test Site (RTS) at Kwajalein Atoll. An environmental Assessment (EA) was written at the beginning of the program to assess potential impact of Depleted Uranium (DU) and Beryllium (Be), the major RV materials of interest from a health and environmental perspective. The chemical and structural form of DU and Be in RVs is such that they are insoluble in soil water and sea water. Consequently, residual concentrations of DU and Be observed in soil on the island are not expected to be toxic to plant life because there is essentially no soil to plant uptake. Similarly, due to their insolubility in sea water there is no uptake of either element by marine biota including fish, mollusks, shellfish and sea mammals. No increase in either element has been observed in sea life around Illeginni Island where deposition of DU and Be has occurred. The critical terrestrial exposure pathway for U and Be is inhalation. Concentration of both elements in air over the test period (1989 to 2006) is lower by a factor of 10,000 than the most restrictive U.S. guideline for the general public. Uranium concentrations in air are also lower by factors of 10 to 100 than concentrations of U in air in the U.S. measured by the EPA (Keith et al., 1999). U and Be concentrations in air downwind of deposition areas on Illeginni Island are essentially indistinguishable from natural background concentrations of U in air at the atolls. Thus, there are no health related issues associated with people using the island.

A competition radioimmunoassay was developed, utilizing a murine monoclonal antibody to human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells. Immunoblotting of a standard antigen preparation from either serum or ascites fluid after electrophoresis in 1% agarose showed that the specific DUPAN-2 activity resided in two major high molecular weight bands. DU-PAN-2 antigen levels were expressed as arbitrary units based on a standard partially purified antigen preparation. The inhibition curve with standard antigen was reproducible (SD < 10%) and essentially linear from 25 to 200 units/ml. The mean DU-PAN-2 antigen concentration for the sera from 126 normal individuals was 81 units/ml. Sera from pediatric patients with malignancy had a mean of 127 units/ml, while nasopharyngeal, stage III melanoma, and ovarian carcinoma patients had means of 89, 92, and 119 units/ml, respectively. All values in normal subjects as well as the melanoma, nasopharyngeal, ovarian, and pediatric cancer patients were less than 400 units/ml. Intermediate antigen levels were detected in patients with alimentary tract malignancies. Eight of 20 gastric cancer and 8 of 76 colorectal carcinoma patients and 3 patients with benign or nonmalig nant gastrointestinal tract disease had DU-PAN-2 values exceeding 400 units/ml. Ascites fluids from 6/6 and pancreatic juice from 2/2 pancreatic cancer patients had values greater than 750 units/ml. Serum from 68% of the 89 pancreatic cancer patients tested had DU-PAN-2 antigen levels greater than 400 units/ml. The mean serum value in this patient population was 4888 units/ml.

A digital elevation model (DEM) of the entire country of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania was produced using Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) data as required for deliverable 65 of the contract. In addition, because of significant recent advancements of availability, seamlessness, and validity of Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) global elevation data, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) extended its efforts to include a higher resolution countrywide ASTER DEM as value added to the required Deliverable 63, which was limited to five areas within the country. Both SRTM and ASTER countrywide DEMs have been provided in ERDAS Imagine (.img) format that is also directly compatible with ESRI ArcMap, ArcGIS Explorer, and other GIS applications.

In 1955, Vincent du Vigneaud (1901-1978), the chairman of the Department of Biochemistry at Cornell University Medical College, was awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry for his research on insulin and for the first synthesis of the posterior pituitary hormones-oxytocin and vasopressin. His tremendous contribution to organic chemistry, which began as an interest in sulfur-containing compounds, paved the way for a better understanding of the pituitary gland and for the development of diagnostic and therapeutic tools for diseases of the pituitary. His seminal research continues to impact neurologists, endocrinologists, and neurosurgeons, and enables them to treat patients who had no alternatives prior to du Vigneaud's breakthroughs in peptide structure and synthesis. The ability of neurosurgeons to aggressively operate on parasellar pathology was directly impacted and related to the ability to replace these hormones after surgery. The authors review the life and career of Vincent du Vigneaud, his groundbreaking discoveries, and his legacy of the understanding and treatment of the pituitary gland in health and disease. PMID:26517776

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common type of cancer among males. Although survival rate of early-stage PCa is high, treatment options are very limited for recurrent disease. In this study, the possible synergistic cytotoxic and apoptotic effect of octreotide in combination with AT-101 was investigated in DU-145 hormone and drug refractory prostate cancer cell line. To enlighten the action mechanisms of the combination treatment, expression levels of somatostatin receptors 2 and 5 (SSTR2 and SSTR5) were also investigated. Cell viability was measured by XTT assay. Apoptosis was assessed through DNA fragmentation analysis and caspase 3/7 assay. mRNA and protein levels of SSTR2 and SSTR5 were evaluated by qRT-PCR and western blot analysis, respectively. Octreotide in combination with AT-101 inhibited cell viability and induced apoptosis synergistically in DU-145 cells as compared to any agent alone. Combination treatment increased both SSTR2 and SSTR5 mRNA and protein levels in DU-145 cells. The data suggest that this combination therapy may be a good candidate for patients with advanced metastatic PCa do not respond to androgen deprivation. PMID:26531719

The hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/c-Met signaling pathway results in cancer cell scattering and invasion, and has been reported to participate in several types of cancer, including prostate and colorectal cancer. The downstream phosphorylation cascade of HGF, particularly the mitogen-activated protein kinase and phosphoinositide 3-kinase/AKT signaling pathway, regulates epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, the mechanism by which these signaling pathways govern EMT, and whether certain kinases are able to respond to specific EMT effectors, remains to be elucidated. In the present study, an increase in the levels of vimentin, rather than co-regulation of certain EMT marker proteins, was observed in response to HGF-induced EMT in DU145 prostate cancer cells. In addition, it was observed that curcumin abrogated HGF-induced DU145 cell scattering and invasion. Furthermore, curcumin was able to effectively inhibit the HGF-induced increase in the levels of vimentin by downregulating the expression of phosphorylated c-Met, extracellular signal-regulated kinase and Snail. In conclusion, the results of the present study demonstrated that curcumin was able to reverse HGF-induced EMT, possibly by inhibiting c-Met expression in DU145 prostate cancer cells. PMID:26893768

This article discusses a financial training program used by Deere and Company for almost 10 years. The objective is to describe the program and to discuss a pre-test/post-test methodology to test the effectiveness of a program for possible duplication by Extension. Results show that participants significantly improved from the pre-test to the…

Foresters are faced with difficulties to obtain sub-polygon information with the mapping methods available nowadays. The main objective of this work consisted in the development of new methods able to improve the map accuracy of regenerating forest stands and mature forest stands in the South of Quebec, Canada. The Dempster-Shafer Theory (DST) and the Dezert-Smarandache Theory (DSmT) showed their ability to integrate multiple heterogenous data sources to go further than the classical classification procedures like the maximum likelihood or the spectral unmixing, in terms of map accuracy. Improvement on the ability to map regenerating stands, passed from 82.7% with the maximum likelihood method to 91.1% with the Free DSm model with a total transfer of the mass of the "Union" class to the "Intersection" class (+ 8.4%). For the mature stands, the improvement passed from 63.8% with the K nearest neighbour to 79.5% with the DST according to a classical belief structuration and the hybrid decision rule for which the conflict threshold was fixed at 10% (+ 15.7%). Our results with DST and a bayesian belief structuration showed the difficulty to model the uncertainty in the fusion process. This is probably due to the lack of scientific knowledge about the influence of the biophysical and climatic parameters on the mapped forest stands and to the necessity to model specifically the uncertainty for each source. Our work showed concrete improvement when mapping forest stands with DST which is encouraging to continue explorating the fundamental principle of the proposed hybrid decision rule. This means a particular focus on the difference between the fused masses of each potential class after the fusion, to choose the best hypothesis. Keywords. forest mapping, Quebec, deciduous stands, regenerating stands, mature stands, data fusion, Dempster-Shafer Theory, Dezert-Smarandache Theory, hybrid decision rule

The present project focuses on the retrieval of surface soil moisture using multi-satellite data from microwave, visible and infrared measurements over the Mackenzie River Basin, a large northern basin located in Canada. The work is subdivided in two major steps. The first step aims to estimate soil moisture and to monitor its change using AMSR-E 6.9 GHz passive microwave data. To reach the objective of this work, a major issue to be resolved is the lack of in situ measurements. Therefore, "external" ancillary data were used as a surrogate for in situ data in retrieving soil moisture by inverting a microwave radiative transfer model. Based on the sensitivity of the emitted microwave signal to soil roughness and to vegetation parameters, a sequential method was applied to calibrate the model. The values of the roughness parameter, vegetation parameters and soil moisture were adjusted iteratively to minimize the sum of the squared difference between the measured AMSR-E brightness temperature and the modelled brightness temperatures using the radiative transfert model. Qualitatively, it was found that the variations of the estimated soil moisture compared well with the soil moisture values imported from the NARR database, and a satisfactory agreement was also obtained between soil moisture estimates and precipitation data. Quantitatively, comparing the estimated soil moisture with the NARR data, a departure is observed for high values of soil moisture. The AMSR-E soil moisture products are underestimated as compared to the NARR estimates. In the second step, an approach is proposed for disaggregating the near surface soil moisture estimated from AMSR-E using combined multispectral and multiresolution remote sensing data. The approach combines the 56 km resolution AMSR-E multipolarization brightness temperatures and the 1 km resolution MODIS Normalized Difference Vegetation index (NDVI) and MODIS surface temperature data. The methodology is based on the correlation

Remains of dinosaurian embryos, hatchlings and early juveniles are currently the subject of increasing interest, as new discoveries and techniques now allow to analyse palaeobiological subjects such as growth and life history strategies of dinosaurs. So far, available 'embryonic' material mainly involved Ornithopods and some Theropods of Upper Cretaceous age. We describe here the histology of several bones (vertebrae, limb bones) from the tiny but exceptionally well preserved in ovo remains of Upper Jurassic Theropod dinosaurs from the Paimogo locality near Lourinhã (Portugal). This Jurassic material allows to extend in time and to considerably supplement in great details our knowledge of early phases of growth in diameter and in length of endoskeletal bones of various shape, as well as shape modelling among carnivorous dinosaurs. Endochondral ossification in both short and long bones involves extensive pads of calcified cartilages permeated by marrow buds. We discuss the likely occurrence of genuine cartilage canals in dinosaurs and of an avian-like 'medullary cartilaginous cone' in Theropods. Patterns of periosteal ossification suggest high initial growth rates (20 μ m·day -1 or more), at once modulated by precise and locally specific changes in rates of new bone deposition. The resulting very precise shape modelling appears to start early and to involve at once some biomechanical components.

In Quebec, hydraulic represents an undeniable source for energy production and therefore needed an engine for economic development. Therefore, proper design and ongoing inspections are necessary to ensure the stability and safety of these structures. Thus, abnormalities in embankment dams should be located in the shortest time. The internal erosion is the main cause of the failure of embankment dams. Consequently, the infiltration of water in dams, which generates the internal erosion, should be detected. Several non-destructive methods have been developed to auscultate these structures and determine the groundwater level in the embankment works. In this project, the self-potential (SP) method was adopted. This method consists in measuring a passive electric field at the surface of the sail. The phenomenon is defined by the electrofiltration circulation water into the porous matrix of a material which generates a measurable electric current to the ground surface. Laboratory tests at the Universite de Sherbrooke were performed to determine the effect of water flow on the electrical properties for different materials. Plexiglas pipe was used for testing and the theoretical model is the Helmholtz-Smoluchowski. During the tests, the influence of hydraulic loading and temperature on the electrical properties of the materials has been checked. The experiments aim at determining the primary relationship between the coupling coefficient and zeta potential using the self-potential (SP) method. The experimental results were compared with values from the literature to confirm the model and protocol used. Thus since that the experimental data are consequent with those theoretical, experimental model adopted can be considered as reliable. This project is a prerequisite for future research that will develop an inversion algorithm to identify and locate anomalies in the embankment dams. Experimental studies have demonstrated that the hydraulic load had a significant effect on the

To investigate whether Du-Huo-Ji-Sheng-Tang (DHJST) attenuate inflammation of RA related to lymphatic drainage function in vivo, we treated eight 3-month-old TNF-Tg mice with DHJST (12 g/kg) or the same volume of physiological saline once every day for 12 weeks, and 3-month-old WT littermates were used as negative control. After twelve weeks, we performed NIR-ICG imaging and found that DHJST increased the ICG clearance at the footpad and the pulse of efferent lymphatic vessel between popliteal lymph node and footpad. Histology staining at ankle joints showed that DHJST decreases synovial inflammation, bone erosion, cartilage erosion, and TRAP+ osteoclast area in TNF-Tg mice. Immunohistochemical staining by using anti-Lyve-1 and anti-podoplanin antibody showed that DHJST stimulated lymphangiogenesis in ankle joints of TNF-Tg mice. And zebrafish study suggested that DHJST promoted the formation of lymphatic thoracic duct. In conclusion, DHJST inhibits inflammation severity and promotes lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic drainage function of TNF-Tg mice. PMID:27239212

Understanding the sources and transformations of mercury (Hg) in the free troposphere is a critical aspect of global Hg research. Here we present one year of observations of atmospheric Hg speciation and gaseous elemental Hg (GEM) isotopic composition at the high-altitude Pic du Midi Observatory (2860 m above sea level) in France. Biweekly integrated GEM from February 2012 to January 2013 revealed significant variations in δ(202)HgGEM (-0.04‰ to 0.52‰) but not in Δ(199)HgGEM (-0.17‰ to -0.27‰) or Δ(200)HgGEM (-0.10‰ to 0.05‰). δ(202)HgGEM was negatively correlated with CO and reflected air mass origins from Europe (high CO, low δ(202)HgGEM) and from the Atlantic Ocean (low CO, high δ(202)HgGEM). We suggest that the δ(202)HgGEM variations represent mixing of recent low δ(202)HgGEM European anthropogenic emissions with high δ(202)HgGEM northern hemispheric background GEM. In addition, Atlantic Ocean free troposphere air masses showed a positive correlation between δ(202)HgGEM and gaseous oxidized Hg (GOM) concentrations, indicative of mass-dependent Hg isotope fractionation during GEM oxidation. On the basis of atmospheric δ(202)HgGEM and speciated Hg observations, we suggest that the oceanic free troposphere is a reservoir within which GEM is readily oxidized to GOM. PMID:27214126

Investigation of the late Barremian deepening succession of the Provence platform, cropping out south of Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône, France), has yielded a new ammonite fauna belonging to the Martelites sarasini Subzone (Martelites sarasini Zone). The fauna is dominated by representatives of the Heteroceratidae Spath, characterized by different patterns of coiling, high intraspecific variabilities and dwarfism. These heteroceratids are distinctive and utterly different from all previously known taxa, and this justifies the introduction of the new taxa Heteroceras denizoti sp. nov., Heteroceras veratiae sp. nov., Calanquites gen. nov., based on Imerites katsharavai Rouchadzé; Giovaraites gen. nov., based on Giovaraites massiliae gen. et sp. nov., Barguesiella gen. nov., based on Barguesiella goudesense gen. et sp. nov. and the closely allied Barguesiella mantei gen. et sp. nov. The occurrence of the latter species at the top of the Maiolica Formation in Italy questions its early Aptian age assumed in the literature. The newly described fauna could be considered as the first case of micromorphy in the Heteroceratidae. Its biostratigraphy, palaeoenvironmental and palaeobiogeographical significance are discussed.

Neanderthal behavior is often described in one of two contradictory ways: 1) Neanderthals were behaviorally inflexible and specialized in large game hunting or 2) Neanderthals exhibited a wide range of behaviors and exploited a wide range of resources including plants and small, fast game. Using stone tool residue analysis with supporting information from zooarchaeology, we provide evidence that at the Abri du Maras, Ardèche, France, Neanderthals were behaviorally flexible at the beginning of MIS 4. Here, Neanderthals exploited a wide range of resources including large mammals, fish, ducks, raptors, rabbits, mushrooms, plants, and wood. Twisted fibers on stone tools provide evidence of making string or cordage. Using a variety of lines of evidence, we show the presence of stone projectile tips, possibly used in complex projectile technology. This evidence shows a level of behavioral variability that is often denied to Neanderthals. Furthermore, it sheds light on perishable materials and resources that are not often recovered which should be considered more fully in reconstructions of Neanderthal behavior.

Using a proactive approach to responsible wastewater collection and treatment, DuPage County, Illinois in conjunction with CTE identified and presented adverse compliance challenges to the IEPA regarding the capabilities of the Region IX-East collection and treatment facilities. This approach contained an element of risk on the County's part, knowing that the IEPA's non-compliance penalties regarding these issues were severe and that a resolution within a court ordered time schedule. A careful plan was developed to involve all the parties, the County, the regulatory agencies, the engineer and the contractor to solve the potential challenges facing the County based on anticipated increases in wastewater flow due to population growth in the Region. Regional IX-Easts' customers are served by the Knollwood Wastewater Treatment Plant (Knollwood). The Knollwood site is located just north of forest preserve property along the Des Plaines River in Burr Ridge, Illinois. The surrounding area to the west consists of a commercial industrial park. A residential development is located to the north of the plant approximately 1000 feet from the nearest treatment plant processing unit. The Knollwood Plant was rated to treat an average daily flow of 8.3 mgd prior to the construction of the new facilities. The new facilities allow the plant to treat an average daily flow of 10 mgd and peak flows up to 50 mgd.

Sweet broomweed (Scoparia dulcis) is an edible perennial medicinal herb widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Four compounds, (2R)-7-methoxy-2H-1,4-benzoxazin-3(4H)-one 2-O-β-galactopyranoside [(2R)-HMBOA-2-O-Gal], 3,6-dimethoxy-benzoxazolin-2(3H)-one (3,6-M2BOA), 3-hydroxy-6-methoxy-2-benzoxazolinone (3-OH-MBOA), and scutellarein 7-O-β-glucuronamide, along with eight known compounds, including two 7-methoxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3(2H)-one 3-O-hexopyranosides [(2R)-HMBOA-2-O-Glc and (2R)-HDMBOA-2-O-Glc], 6-methoxy-benzoxazolin-2(3H)-one (MBOA), acteoside, sodium scutellarin, p-coumaric acid, and two monosaccharides (fructose and glucose), were isolated from the aqueous extract of S. dulcis. Antiproliferative activities of the six benzoxazinoid compounds against the DU-145 human prostate cancer cell line were assayed, and one of these displayed an IC₅₀ of 65.8 μg/mL. PMID:22944352

The Siberian stone pine (Pinus sibirica Du Tour) is one of the main forest-forming coniferous species of the boreal ecosystems of Western Siberia. We used the isozyme method to analyze 11 ecotypes representing the latitudinal and longitudinal profiles within the species range, including samples from the geographic boundaries of the distribution. The genetic structure of the ecotypes is described on the basis of the variability for 26 isozyme loci encoding for 16 enzyme systems. The greatest genetic diversity was observed in the taiga ecotypes in the central part of the studied area, while the ecotypes along the species range boundaries were shown to be genetically depauperized. Approximately 8.1% of the observed genetic diversity is attributed to differences between the studied ecotypes. We detected high levels of genetic diversity for the Fest_2, Pgm_1, Sod_4, and a few otherloci, as well as a correlation between allele frequencies and geographical locations of the populations. The results of multivariate analysis of allelic frequencies as well as cluster analysis allowed us to discriminate three major groups of ecotypes: north-eastern, central and south-western. In view of our results, we compare two hypotheses: one which attributes the spatial distribution of genetic variations to the selectivity for some of the polymorphic allozyme loci, and the other based in the history of the formation of the range of the Siberian stone pine. PMID:25715470

The 1944 D-Day invasion site at Pointe du Hoc, Normandy, France is an important WWII battlefield and cultural resource but is at risk from chalk cliff collapse. The American Battle Monuments Commission tasked us to evaluate the geohazard to the observation post and other cliff-side buildings of historical significance. Geophysical multi-electrode resistivity profiling is used to study cliff stability and the condition of the observation- post foundations. Preliminary 2-D geological interpretations are provided of individual profiles. The copious steel, concrete and void spaces at the site renders hydrogeological interpretation challenging but tractable. The cliff face appears to be relatively intact and well-drained. Several routes taken by groundwater into fractures within the chalk were identified mainly on the western side of the site. The eastern side is drier and somewhat sheltered from the Atlantic storms but may contain large void spaces that could efficiently transmit groundwater flow during heavy precipitation events, thereby imperiling the major antiaircraft gun emplacement occupied by Col. Rudder in the early days of the Allied invasion. The forward German observation post perched close to the sea stack, which now hosts the U.S. Ranger memorial, may be moving with the soil and not securely anchored to bedrock. A complex failure mechanism is identified as a combination of groundwater dissolution of the fractured chalk and sea wave attack at the cliff base.

Compounds in the form of precipitation (CFP) are universally formed during the decocting of Chinese prescriptions, such as Huang-Lian-Jie-Du-Tang (HLJDT). The formation rate of HLJDT CFP even reached 2.63% ± 0.20%. The identification by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS(n)) proved that the main chemical substances of HLJDT CFP are baicalin and berberine, which is coincident with the theory that the CFP might derive from interaction between acidic and basic compounds. To investigate the formation mechanism of HLJDT CFP, baicalin and berberine were selected to synthesize a simulated precipitation and then the baicalin-berberine complex was obtained. Results indicated that the melting point of the complex interposed between baicalin and berberine, and the UV absorption, was different from the mother material. In addition, ¹H-NMR integral and high-resolution mass spectroscopy (HR-MS) can validate that the binding ratio was 1:1. Compared with baicalin, the chemical shifts of H and C on glucuronide had undergone significant changes by ¹H-, (13)C-NMR, which proved that electron transfer occurred between the carboxylic proton and the lone pair of electrons on the N atom. Both HLJDT CFP and the baicalin-berberine complex showed protective effects against cobalt chloride-induced neurotoxicity in differentiated PC12 cells. It is a novel idea, studying the material foundation of CFP in Chinese prescriptions. PMID:27548137

A near-surface geophysical survey at the D-Day invasion site atop the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc, Normandy, France was carried out using ground-penetrating radar, electromagnetic induction, and magnetic gradiometry equipment. The subsurface targets of investigation are predominantly buried concrete and steel structures and earthworks associated with the German coastal fortifications at this stronpoint of Hitler's Atlantic Wall. The targets are readily detectable embedded within the vadose zone of a weakly magnetic, electrically resistive loess soil cover. The radar and electromagnetic induction responses lend themselves to plan-view imaging of the subsurface, while the magnetics data reveal the presence of buried magnetic bodies in a more subtle fashion. Several intriguing geophysical signatures were discovered, including what may be the buried remains of a railway turntable, ordnance fragments in the bomb craters, a buried steel-reinforced concrete trench, and a linear chain of machine gun firing positins. Geophysical prospecting is shown to be a very powerful tool for historical battlefield characterization.

The present study was designed to determine the relationships between the performance of ethanol precipitation and seven process parameters in the ethanol precipitation process of Re Du Ning Injections, including concentrate density, concentrate temperature, ethanol content, flow rate and stir rate in the addition of ethanol, precipitation time, and precipitation temperature. Under the experimental and simulated production conditions, a series of precipitated resultants were prepared by changing these variables one by one, and then examined by HPLC fingerprint analyses. Different from the traditional evaluation model based on single or a few constituents, the fingerprint data of every parameter fluctuation test was processed with Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to comprehensively assess the performance of ethanol precipitation. Our results showed that concentrate density, ethanol content, and precipitation time were the most important parameters that influence the recovery of active compounds in precipitation resultants. The present study would provide some reference for pharmaceutical scientists engaged in research on pharmaceutical process optimization and help pharmaceutical enterprises adapt a scientific and reasonable cost-effective approach to ensure the batch-to-batch quality consistency of the final products. PMID:26850350

Cri du chat syndrome is characterized by cat-like cry, facial dysmorphisms, microcephaly, speech delay, intellectual disability and slow growth rate, which are present with variable frequency. The typical cri du chat syndrome, due to 5p15.2 deletion, includes severe intellectual disability, facial dysmorphisms, neonatal hypotonia and pre- and post-natal growth retardation, whereas more distal deletions in 5p15.3 lead to cat-like cry and speech delay and produce the clinical picture of the atypical cri du chat syndrome, with minimal or absent intellectual impairment. In this article we report a three-generation family with an unbalanced whole arm translocation between chromosome 5 and 15 and a microdeletion of 5.5 Mb involving 5p15.33-32. By reporting the smallest terminal deletion of 5p15.3 described so far and by reviewing the literature we discuss the genotype/phenotype correlations of the distal region of the cri du chat syndrome. The previously described critical region for the speech delay may be narrowed down and microcephaly, growth retardation and dysmorphic facial features can be included in the phenotypic expression of the atypical cri du chat syndrome due to 5p15.3 deletions. PMID:24556499